July 2022 Review Issue
Fantasy & Sci Fi
Literature
Mystery & Thrillers
The
Grand Game
Tim Ahrens
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-370-7
$17.99 paperback/$9.99 ebook
www.atmospherepress.com
Dark
fantasy
readers who choose The Grand Game (Book 2 in the
Dark
Creatures series) will find it an intriguing story of gods,
slavery, and
dark forces which play power games with one another on a multifaceted
playing field
of earthly and cosmic origins.
Newcomers
might
expect the second book in a series requires familiarity with its
predecessor (Dark
Creatures: A Simple Game), but Tim Ahrens presents an
especially
compellingly-written summary of past events that neatly captures the
characters
and scenario for those who missed Book 1: "I, the Pale Rider,
also
called Ragman by some, bid you welcome. Do you come to me to gain some
insight
into what has occurred in the world of Dark Creatures up to this point?
No? Ah,
you wish to know of a future event, is that right? I see. Well then,
take these
insights with you as we all await the beginning of the Grand Game."
It's
rare to see
an introduction and summary which is captivating in and of itself, but
Ahrens
cultivates voices which add special interest, drama, and flavor to his
story: "...new
Gods joined the Januses and Samael in this game of life and death. What
people
or things will they bring to the game? Will their action be confined
only to
the World of Dark Creatures? Or perhaps infest the human world as well?
All
these questions and more have yet to be answered. So, I say again, I
bid you
welcome intrepid reader. Or is it player? I have a hard time telling
the
difference. Enjoy your adventure into the world of Dark Creatures."
With
this
exceptional prologue in mind, readers enter a world which receives
equally
powerful atmospheric descriptions as the story evolves. In this world,
William
J. Donovan and Doug Pimpkin are forced to create slaves of their own,
mirroring
their experiences and lives in thrall to humans and dark horrors alike.
The
ordinary
trappings of everyday reality are presented alongside figures like the
Pale
Rider and others who influence, direct, and command attention. They
appear and
disappear from view as they move between two realities in a role
playing game
that is extraordinary in its depth and descriptions.
Gamers
will
indeed find many familiar trappings as cat-and-mouse scenarios play
out, and
will especially appreciate the depth of characterization Ahrens is
devoted to
exploring in a fantasy that works on many different levels.
The
overlay of
humor in some of these interactions adds irony and wry satirical
commentary to
the story, further enhancing its underlying currents of attraction: “Now
if
everyone would be so kind as to lower their weapons.” She glanced at
Augury
then back to Horris. “We can chat a bit before fifty men come running
down here
just as those two magi bring the whole cavern down on our heads.”
The Grand Game lives up to its title and description as all these
forces move in
different directions on the chessboard of alternate realities and
special
interests.
Fantasy
readers
looking for the flavor of something different will relish the tale. It
holds
the ability to keep readers guessing about the nature of not just
enemies and
friends, but the intersection of worlds where slavery, freedom, and the
struggle for identity is just beginning as gods and humans experience
the
carnival of life's wild ride in a Game World created by both.
More
books in
the series can be expected, but this story ends in a satisfyingly
definitive
way that will leave readers looking for more, yet contented about the
events
that flesh out Book 1 and expand this unique gamer's world.
Return to Index
The
Infernal
Games
Reed Logan Westgate
Independently Published
979-8640508635
$14.95
https://www.amazon.com/Infernal-Games-Baku-Book-ebook/dp/B087X27RYJ
Fantasy readers who look for
stories replete in
metaphysical influences, LGBTQ flavors, and action-packed twists and
turns will
find that The Infernal Games
offers a combination that is relatively unique in an unexpected,
different type
of story.
Xlina’s
move to
Portland, Maine reflects her desire to flee her heritage, her legacy,
and her
nightmares. Instead, her quest for a different life lands her right in
the
middle of everything she's attempting to avoid as she finds herself
caught up
in a dangerous game that forces her to accept her abilities and
birthright in
order to survive.
It's
not
everyday that one winds up in court, only to find that the
court-mandated
social worker is a demon. And it's not an ordinary or chance
circumstance that
leads her to participate in The Infernal Games which will dictate how
her life
evolves from that point on.
Also
unexpectedly satisfying is the sense of humor that accompanies Xlina's
revelations about the new reality overlaying her life and choices: “Everyone
is tricked,” Arthur added, his cheery tone and disposition fading.
“That’s why
there are so many tales of poor young witches being tied to demons. Oh,
everyone thinks it won’t happen to them. That they can control the
pact, honor
their word. Get their desires without a price to pay.”
“There is always a price,” continued Pete.
“Always,” agreed Nick.
“I didn’t know,” Xlina protested. “I thought she was
just with the government.”
Why
would a
demon target her? How does a lineage's curse result in creating a
Soulstealer
that becomes a hungry Eater of Death?
Questions
accompany and provoke clashes between personalities and possibilities
as Xlina
finds herself caught in the middle of an impossible situation.
Reed
Logan
Westgate is adept at creating powerful, action-packed scenarios that
grab
reader attention and interest: "The raw cataclysm of magic
sucked the
very air from the room, and Xlina struggled to catch her breath as
Oxivius, in
all his necromantic glory, squared off against the fae Puc. It was like
two
titans of magical will colliding, and she felt awash in the raw energy
as she
struggled to steady herself."
As
Book 1 of the
Baku Trilogy, The Infernal Games opens the door to
new worlds, new
possibilities, and powerful contenders that live in and transform it.
Fantasy
libraries looking at especially powerful series title openers that
promise
social inspection grounded in fantasy elements will appreciate the
attention to
strong characters and underlying issues that The Infernal
Games
provides. It's a winning pick that stands out from the crowd, deftly
defying
the predictable trappings of the usual fantasy genre production.
Return to Index
Navigating
the Storm
Sarah Branson
Sooner Started Press
978-1-957774-03-9
$18.99 Paper/$8.99 ebook
www.sarahbranson.com
Navigating the Storm is Book 2 of the
Pirates of New Earth series
which began with A Merry Life, and
continues the story set in the 24th century, when pirate nations and
survival
challenge Kat Wallace in different ways.
Readers
should
ideally familiarize themselves with A
Merry Life, because Kat's ongoing story rests firmly on the
foundation
Sarah Branson built so avidly in that book.
This story
opens
seemingly with yet another confrontation between Kat and opposing
forces: "I leap around my rocky refuge, aim
my weapon,
and begin to fire as I yell, “Avast, me hearties! Dead men tell no
tales!”
But, wait.
Something's different. Events are not as they seem, as is quickly
explained in
passages which outline that this confrontation, at least, is not the
rollicking, rocky adventure Kat embarked on in her first story. Yet.
There is a
big
difference between playing at pirates and facing ongoing effects of
banishment
from Kat's beloved pirate nation of Bosch for a year. Prevented from
doing what
she loves, she evolves into a new purpose and perspective as she faces
husband
Takai's infidelity, and forces that would tear her family apart.
Branson
paints Kat's
family life and emotional connections with an attention to building
depth and
detail: "My jaw drops, and I stare at this man I have shared so many
years
and so much with. “Did you think I would
attack you or her?” Now, granted my beast did toy with some rather
violent
images, but that isn’t the same. “Me? The woman who promised to care
for you
through storms and sunshine, who birthed her children into your hands.”
I feel
the angry, hurt tears begin. How could he think that of me? I’m
currently
unsure which cut is the most painful: his infidelity or his distrust.
“You. You
betray me and your family and then try to turn the tables by accusing
me of
being a danger?” I stare at him. I make a new column marked Bad Decisions and put a tally mark in
for rescuing my husband from the Chinese all those years ago."
Kat's
mission to take
charge of her life and alter its trajectory and circumstances immerses
readers
in the world of the 2360s and a very different social and political
milieu, yet
the emotional undercurrents of connections, betrayal, love, and
ambition remain
strong pulls for alternate sci-fi history readers who enjoy stories
steeped in
emotional twists and turns.
"Now
you
shall be the captain of your ship, in word and deed."
But, what
will it
take to master this world and these changing times? And, at what cost?
Readers who
enjoy a
rollicking adventure firmly rooted in family interactions and
considerations
will find that Navigating the Storm
comes steeped in a battle between love and loyalty in which Kat
reconsiders her
ultimate goals.
From her
commitment
to regain her citizenship to her determination to end enslavement and
come back
to her self and her purposes makes for a story replete in many
emotional
moments.
Readers of
alternate
history who are used to finding their tales rooted in historical
circumstances
alone will find the emotional depth and draw of Navigating
the Storm simply compelling, while libraries should
consider it more than worthy of joining other alternate history titles,
adding
a taste of something different in a determined female character who
explores
her identity and values in a changing futuristic world.
Return to Index
Of
the Earth
Kim Cousins
Resource
Publications, an imprint of Wipf and Stock Publications
978-1-6667-0241-5
$23.00
Paperback/$38.00 Hardcover/$9.99 ebook
amazon.com/author/educa8
Of the Earth
is the first book in the Clashing Kingdoms series, presenting a magical
blend
of religious sci-fi and fantasy as it journeys through a world of
talking
animals and humans who interact with them in unusual ways.
To
avoid any
confusion, Kim Cousins presents the dialog of animals in italics. This
helps
cement the speakers and their origins as the story explores changing
relationships in times where physical and political environments are in
flux.
A
character list
that precedes the story implies complexity, but the actual tale opens
with a
bang of military attraction that tells of an old man and citizen of the
New
World's arrest by a peacekeeping force.
As
the arrest
becomes deadly, a talking dog and cat enter the picture to provide
their views
of what is happening in human and animal worlds, and the story takes
off from
there.
Cousins
injects
intrigue into the circumstances that expand outward to embrace a host
of
characters. The magic of this world and its animals and people feels
almost
ordinary against the backdrop of the social and physical changes that
challenges all beings to step up their game.
From
earthquakes
to the new possibility of future generations in a pregnancy and the
quest for
divine intervention in human affairs, Cousins creates an unusual
juxtaposition
between fantasy in a survey that embraces religious as well as social
threads: "In
his quiet surroundings, Juan prayed for continued protection over all
his loved
ones. He thanked God for his divine intervention, humbly asking for a
greater
understanding of the spiritual gifts Paul described in the New
Testament. But
unlike Happy—presently entertained in her own dream world—Juan knew he
wasn’t
too old to learn new tricks."
The
result is a
story overlaid with spiritual and intellectual considerations, designed
to
attract readers with magic as it re-envisions a changed world affected
by
plague, strife, miracles, and belief systems.
From
issues of
military personnel who try to return to civilian life to one family's
changing
experiences with God, readers who look for entertainment and hope will
find
both abound in Of the Earth, a story of old and new
connections and
transformative experiences that neatly concludes its foundation tale
while
keeping the door open for more.
Return to Index
Promise of
the
Visitor
David Gittlin
Entelligent
Entertainment, LLC
978-0-9882635-8-9
$2.79 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Promise-Visitor-Novella-Silver-Sphere-ebook/dp/B09Y2FHL5R
The third
novella in
the Silver Sphere sequence, Promise of
the Visitor, provides prior series readers with an ongoing
saga that
revolves around mystery writer Jacob and extraterrestrial AI Arcon.
It's a
situation that reads like one of Jacob's books, with intrigue and
impossible
scenarios drawing Jacob and his readers into another escapade.
David
Gittlin employs
the present tense to capture the drama with a "you are there" feel to
Jacob's adventures: "No one besides
me and Amy knows that inside the golden sphere lives an artificial
intelligence
originating from the other side of the Milky Way. Said sphere rests on
top of a
beige granite counter beside a nickel-plated sink in Jeffrey’s
ultra-modern
kitchen. Except the kitchen belongs to a guy named Jack. I keep
thinking
“Jeffrey” because that’s the alter ego Jack uses as a front for his
real name,
Jack Markham. I thought Jeffrey Mortenson was my friend. Instead, he
turns out
to be an international criminal named Jack."
It's unusual
to find
that the third book in a series so neatly sets and explains its
premises and
past history that newcomers receive easy access, while prior fans only
have to
absorb a few paragraphs of old information before the new adventure
begins.
That Gittlin does so with a minimum of words that paint a precise
picture of
this complex situation represents one of the strengths of both the
novella form
and Gittlin's approach as he says the most with the greatest impact in
a minimal
amount of time.
From a
visitor from
space who is supposed to arrive with gifts but instead brings
disturbing news
about the future of humanity to Arcon's reconnaissance mission to the
Moon in
search of answers and solutions, Gittlin's fast-paced story is packed
with
drama, tension, and fine characterization spiced with a sense of wry
humor.
Color photos
add
visual embellishment to the vivid story, bringing to life Arcon's
adventures,
which challenge Jacob to shed his old life "like an old suit of
clothes."
A major
decision
needs to be made...one that will change Jacob and Silenna's life (and
possibly
their love).
Promise of the Visitor both expands the
Silver Sphere series and
stands alone as an inviting story of extraterrestrial and human
relationships
alike.
While it
ends with a
definitive bang, it leaves the door ajar for possibly more adventures.
The
encounters
promise a rollicking good read that makes the most of the novella
format in a
book highly recommended for libraries strong in short sci-fi works,
whether or
not they have acquired the prior Silver Sphere titles.
Return to Index
The Refuge
N. Ford
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-336-3
$17.99
www.atmospherepress.com
The
Refuge is
Book 1 of a trilogy by the same name, and is a political fantasy that
will
especially appeal to readers looking for something different and more
detailed via
its examinations of war, peace, and authority.
The prologue
introduces Jude, who is aboard an old ship sailing the Physis Sea. It's
been a
long voyage on the Refuge: "It felt
as if he’d lived lifetimes in the two years they’d been away. Proof of
it
etched permanently into the creases around his eyes. It was nothing
like he’d
thought it would be. Thoughts badgered him about what it would have
been like
if they’d never left, mocking his reach for a life that might somehow
matter…"
The next
chapter
comes from the unusual perspective of two mothers—friends who have long
awaited
the return of their children from seafaring adventures. As it moves
back and
forth in time and experience, the contrast between war, civilian life,
and
managing the boatloads of orphans who are a casualty of conflict
represents an
intriguing glimpse into Jude's origins and the foundations of a war
that
changes everything it touches.
Ford does
not let the
issues rest with either leaders or fighters alone. The contrast between
perspectives of both brings the roots of conflict and the choices
involved to
life: "Many
alarms sounded over the
skies of Agon, and Issachar watched its citizens, his people, and more
disturbingly, his own family, ignore it. Why hadn’t he noticed? Over
the
strenuous efforts of generations past, Agon had grown acclimatized to
its own
sure defense. Forget the warrior shortage, this faux comfort made Agon
more
vulnerable than anything else ever could. They felt safe. And they were
not. The territory needed retraining, but how could he do that
without
creating fear in the people? How much should be shared about their
vulnerability? Would the people side with Jonas and call for the women
to
fight?"
What happens
when
conflict becomes an intrinsic part of daily life, but its roots have
been
forgotten over a vast expanse of battles and time? One forgets the
'why' of the
battle, and so it becomes habit without justification: "One
hundred and fifty years into the war and new generations
still fought over dead men’s disagreements. Occasionally Issachar had
wondered
why and how the fighting started, but he grew to believe it wasn’t his
job to
know. It was his job to uphold the legacy of Agon, and he was committed
to
it—no matter the cost."
The
Refuge
raises many questions about conflict, heritage, life goals, and the
meaning of
life. It contrasts fantasies, realities, and the process of rebuilding
and tearing
apart nations and hearts. Ford's astute hand to detail injects a
disparate
group of characters with realistic historical and emotion-driven
purposes as
women strive to be queens and men become "tired of the way it tempted
[him]
to feel."
Where is
home?
"He felt paralyzed. No king. No isles. No home. The
devastation he
sat in was the very picture of his life."
The social
and
political dilemma each character faces requires them to change from
over a
century of status quo, creating a vivid read that returns personal
impact into
political decision-making processes.
Yes, The
Refuge
is a vivid survey set in a fantasy realm that will, of course, attract
fantasy
readers. But the heart of many of its social and political inspections
should
not escape notice by discussion groups surveying long-term conflict and
its
habits, rituals, and psychological impact, either.
Libraries
strong in
fantasy and political inspection will find The Refuge
an inviting
standout from the usual fantasy kingdom story.
Return to Index
Sentient
Jay
VanLandingham
Climb That
Mountain Press
979-8-9852515-5-5
$9.99 e-book/$19.95 Paper
Website: https://www.jayvanlandingham.com/
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Jay-VanLandingham/e/B09MDK8S43?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1654632132&sr=8-1
Sentient is a dystopian sci-fi
novel set in the year 2040, when animal agriculture has changed the
climate and
resulted in a very different landscape.
Bray Hoffman
has a
secret. She can not only communicate with, but feels the emotions and
pain of a
pig she calls her best friend. This connection forces her into a
dangerous role
in which she must confront the inevitability of not only Alice's
demise, but
the human race's dangerous choices.
Bray isn't
the only
focus in this story of change, adaptation, and struggle.
Receiving
equal
billing are Bertan Duarte, an undocumented immigrant in the
agribusiness
industry, and Kage Zair, an activist committed to battling the
atrocities and
deadly progression of agribusiness by searching for answers as to why
her
activist parents disappeared twelve years ago.
Despite
their
disparate roots and diverse special interests, Bray, Bertan and Kage
become
united in a quest to address injustices and manipulative special
interests that
work against the world's ecological health and survival. Their united
story
presents a fine tale of social, political, and personal trials and
change as
they learn to navigate their world with newfound empowerment and
purpose.
Jay
VanLandingham creates a dystopian society that progresses relentlessly
towards
disaster in a juggernaut of greed and corporate power. This juggernaut
of
extinction is affected only by those who would step up to defy their
own
diagnoses, in this society, of medical disability.
From
the truth
about Bertan's vanished family to the perps involved in maintaining the
status
quo, VanLandingham forges a powerful story of three characters who seek
to
create safe lives for themselves and their loved ones, whether human or
animal.
In
a world where
hidden activists become involved in grassroots rebellions and heroes
are
ordinary survivors of society's choices, the drama and action ranges
from
social and political inspection to everyday choices and perceptions.
Sentient's
ability to call into question the survival tactics of a disparate
society makes
it a hard-hitting, action-packed story that combines well with a teen
coming-of-age backdrop to appeal to both teen and adult readers of
dystopian
sci-fi.
Libraries
strong
in dystopian sci-fi with strong social messages will relish Sentient
for
its strong animal rights and ecological focus.
Return to Index
Stone Souls
James Rourke
Canoe Tree Press
978-1-956019-74-2
$14.99 Paper/$3.99 Kindle
www.dartfrogbooks.com
Followers of
dystopian sci-fi well know that many genre reads assume
similar-sounding
approaches. That's why James Rourke's Stone
Souls will prove a breath of fresh air to any who regularly
follow these
books.
It paints a
future in
which the Common States of America are inhabited by many like Raymond
and Karen
Butler, who live in an enviable country where crime and illness have
been
abolished, and where many technological wonders make life easy.
It's an easy
life for
the privileged. Not so much for others.
The driving
forces of
these lives do hold a price...one's soul. It's a price too many are
willing to
pay, but as the cost rises, social and political justifications and
analysis
become flawed.
James Rourke
creates
an intriguing story replete with many moral and ethical questions as
the
characters evolve: “Think about it, Mr.
Mikel. The poorly named United States is one of the most
fragmented societies on Earth. Their cries of fighting for
equality are hollow proclamations designed to conceal the hypocrisy of
the
speaker’s true intent.”
“True intent?” Lizzie asked. “What do you think people are fighting
for, if not equality?”
“Why superiority, of course,” Mr. Tarrand stated."
The depth of
such
conversations and examinations is one of the strengths of a story which
endeavors to move beyond the usual dystopian scenario of the haves and
have-nots and into a world where power plays, complacency, and the
vanity and
vigor of a nation lay under the microscope of hard-hitting realities.
More so than
most,
Rourke embeds his characters and their lives with these moral and
ethical
questions, leading readers to think about their own status and its
assumptions
and costs.
Is achieving
Utopia
at all costs worth the price?
Ultimately, Stone Souls demands of its readers a
hard inspection of wealth, privilege, and the foundations of humanity
itself.
Not only is
it highly
recommended for readers of dystopian sci-fi, but ideally will gain
attention
from book clubs discussion social issues and the dilemma of humanity's
survival
at all costs.
Return to Index
Around and
Around
Krys Call
Independently
Published
978-1974533459
$5.38 Paperback
https://www.amazon.com/Around-Poems-About-Walking/dp/197453345X
Around
and Around:
Poems About Walking About is about exploration,
perseverance, and encounters
both past and present. It embraces the intersection of human affairs
and nature,
rooting its poems in the author's walks around Santa Cruz County and
the
internal and external discoveries made there.
These are also circular
creations whose patterns of
inspection will please poetry readers looking for philosophical and
psychological flavors in their nature inspections.
The first thing to note
about this collection is its
circular path of discovery, which is rooted in evocative metaphors and
visually
powerful descriptions: "Every stem
of clover,/when speaking of the sump,/rendered thanks/for warm and
standing
water./And each also gave thanks/in a Victorian way/by crocheting an
arc/of
figured white/on each of its leaflets,/the lace circle/banding each
trifoliate
leaf/sung as one whole note/sustained..."
As the poems draw important
connections between different
pivot points in life and nature, they represent the quintessential
Green Man
caught up in a pattern of walking about and reflecting as well as
absorbing
life's circles and passion.
Whether Call is inspecting
past, present, or future, each
poem is compelling: "In those days,
I thought/that all blood was the same,/and in that our inborn equality
lay./But
I found that some blood/is more fragrant than others,/leaving deeper
stains./The Swiss lace coverlet/that lay over the heaped-up/sloping of
our
featherbed/was printed with streaks/going outward,/red lines/recording
the
wingbeats/of an Io Moth..."
Libraries seeking
contemporary poetry that reflects on
worldviews and human presence in and beyond nature will find Around and Around: Poems About Walking About
traverses paths seldom taken, creating evocative
interconnections of
emotion and atmosphere to invite readers to imbibe and consider their
own
walkabouts through life.
Return to Index
The Best Good Horse
J. Reeder Archuleta
Izzard Ink Publishing
978-1-64228-077-7
$9.99
ebook/$19.95 Paper
www.izzardink.com
The
Best Good Horse
and Other Short Stories is a literary collection that will
appeal to
readers who enjoy vignettes about ordinary peoples' extraordinary
moments of
their lives.
The settings, characters,
and experiences are fluid, but
what connects these works is a sense of place, time, and evolution that
makes
each story a tiny treasure of insight and revelation.
Take "Following the
Harvest," for one example.
Set in South Texas in the summer of 1964, it tells of Josh, who is
finishing
his summer harvesting job and anticipates entering his junior year of
high
school.
He hates South Texas and
can't wait to leave, but he's
missed the last bus out of town. When he embarks on the long walk to
the next
town, which holds more options, he's picked up by the local police for
being a
vagrant.
As he moves through local
prejudice and the police
system's politics and people, Josh encounters a runaway who again
changes his
mind about his future and decisions: "He
had almost reached the point of no return because he didn’t really care
about
all the other things in his life." As he comes full circle,
Josh
begins to realize that his naive attitude about life has endangered
every
future he can imagine.
These are short stories of
quiet experience. There are no
shocking conclusions, big bangs, or eye-opening surprises. The insight
and
revelations unfold more quietly and build as each tale blossoms.
"Cut-Nose Woman," for
example, also chronicles
encounters with the police—but from quite a different perspective, as a
woman
cultivates an anger that stems as much from cultural injustices as from
specific actions. Observing a policeman, she "...hated
him because he had taken her man to jail for beating her
and cutting her nose. She hated the policeman for wearing the white
man’s
clothes and following the white man’s ways. But she mostly hated
him because he did not respect the old ways
of their people."
The white man's law has
locked away her man (even if he
was an abuser) and considers his violence to be a crime, although they
were
more a reflection of their way of life and the unspoken consequences of
betrayal. She believes that "...this
policeman, a traitor to the old ways, would take this all away and
replace it
with the white man’s law."
From his perspective,
policeman Antonio sees that the
woman and her husband are not warriors of their people, but a waning
reflection
of old ways, funneled into drink and violence.
The contrast between old and
new traditions, legends and
real-life perceptions, and the cadence that moves between violence and
redemption permeates many of these short works as J. Reeder Archuleta
crafts
evocative vignettes.
The result is a gathering of
stories about survival,
gritty confrontations, and the efforts of ordinary people to stay
afloat in a
sea of social, cultural, and individual angst.
The
Best Good Horse
and Other Short Stories is especially recommended for library
collections
strong in short story examples of individual evolution and experience.
Return to Index
A Collection
of
Tiny Stories (Diminutive Tales from the Tip of My Imagination)
CK Sobey
Inner Harvesting
978-1-7375061-3-3
$27.95 Hardcover/$17.95 Paper
www.InnerHarvesting.com
A Collection of Tiny
Stories (Diminutive Tales from the Tip
of My Imagination) presents prose and art that represent an
inspirational
celebration of the spirit, gathering "tiny" works "born out of
moments of whimsy, mystery, and longing."
Add "and
magic" to that list, because CK Sobey's works employ a magical element
as
he arranges tales both fantastic and reflective into three sections:
"Inspiring Odysseys," "From the Heart," and
"Fanciful."
These short
works
don't require linear reading. Readers can skip through the sections and
still
find them succinct, stand-alone pieces that delight no matter their
arrangement
or the wellsprings of their wonder.
Take "The
Bookstore" for one example. Here, Sobey reflects that "I
always love going to the bookstore. I go when I’m drained, or
my inner animal needs its fur stroked." The piece goes on to
explore
the magic of a particular used book that calls his name with intrigue,
providing passages that fuel his days: “I
knew we would eventually meet.” It was hand- written in a beautiful,
fluid
script. Intrigue and enchantment came over me. I touched those written
words
with my fingers, stroking the words."
The
conclusion is a
thought-provoking book image presented in full color that lingers in
the mind,
reinforcing the magic of books.
"The Art
Class" is another blend of autobiography and philosophy that muses on
Sobey's participation in a portrait class, presenting memories of the
past that
are reflected in this present-day endeavor: "I
have come to love that younger me more through the years, realizing I
had just
received a gift from this memory."
While many
of these
short pieces have the look of poetry one-liners, in fact, these
vignettes are
presented using a minimum of words and an attention to making every one
count.
The color illustrations which accompany them are simply gorgeous in
their own
right, accenting the story and creating visual embellishments of their
own
artistic high quality.
Think
Proust, but
without the wordy descriptions of place that thwarted some of his
readers. In
effect, A Collection of Tiny
Stories is an exploration of in-the-moment
experiences that, like
Proust, connect past and present with a simple touch, taste,
observation, or
experience.
Readers who
want the
feel of a journey through life via its smallest moments, which hold the
time-traveling power to connect past and present, will find A Collection of Tiny Stories more
accessible than most short collections. It makes the most of the short
form to
demonstrate the power of the moment and the art of capturing and
preserving it.
This will prove an especially useful selection for literature libraries
and
teachers looking for contemporary examples of rich prose reflections.
Return to Index
The
Deep Translucent Pond
James Shelley
Adelaide Books
978-1-956635-79-9
$19.60
https://www.amazon.com/Deep-Translucent-Pond-James-Shelley/dp/1956635793
The Deep Translucent
Pond
is a literary novel of magical realism and social inspection. It takes
the
winners of a fellowship, 40-year-old attorney Jerome
Konigsberg and
30-year-old nurse Natalija Gasper, on a journey through Ceveland, Ohio.
They
face magical threats as a reclusive poet uses their win to try to
re-introduce
enchantment into the world via The Deep Translucent Pond, which harbors
a
mysterious object that can achieve this goal.
James Shelley injects
an intriguing blend of racial and social inspection into the mix that
questions
magic's place in a world steeped with realism, presenting many
contrasts as a
result: "Jerome Konigsberg had not
walked in a multi-cultural neighborhood for years and never while
wearing an
Armani business suit."
As
The Black
Magus introduces literary and cultural conundrums that tap these roots
and
inspect them with a very different eye towards interpretation and the
enactment
of something new, readers receive a vivid story of eccentricity and
hope that
moves as deftly through psychological inspection as it does social,
cultural,
and fantasy junctions.
Jerome
and
Natalija face many admonitions to step up and outside of their
perspectives and
goals in life as The Black Magus overlays his obsession with their
initial
purposes, coming to realize that their newfound activities may hold a
precedent: “Do not ask me any questions about those who have
come before
you. As far as you are concerned, you are the first.”
Literary
readers
who appreciate poetry and literary achievement will especially
appreciate the
writing that helps the characters connect with this new realm and their
inner
muse: "He re-read it, surprised it had gushed into readable
verse.
Could the Daemon—or whoever it was—have guided his hand?"
At
once a story
of rebirth, awakening, literary and metaphysical achievement, and
discovery, The Deep Translucent
Pond
is an intriguing blend of philosophical, psychological, social, and
metaphysical
encounters that leads seemingly disparate characters on an unexpected
journey
of enlightenment.
Those who enjoy multifaceted reads filled
with memorable inspections, reflections, and moments of surprise will
appreciate The Deep Translucent Pond
for its compelling characters and in-depth survey of psychological and
magical
realms.
Libraries strong in novels of magical
realism which go beyond the magic to add elements of transformative
literary
effort will appreciate the unique approach that makes The
Deep Translucent Pond a standout.
Return to Index
Euphoric
Wonderland
Ryan
M. Becker
Trippy-Ass Books
979-8985433012
$12.95 Paperback/$15.95
BookBaby Special Edition
Website: https://ryanmbecker.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Euphoric-Wonderland-Collection-Psychedelic-Stimulate/dp/B09WHG11FP
Euphoric
Wonderland: An Eclectic Collection of
Psychedelic Poetry to Stimulate the Senses and Open the Mind assumes the feel of an acid trip as it
surveys a cornucopia of experience and imagery that bring readers into
a realm
where surrealism, magic, and music intersect.
Ryan
M. Becker's
vivid romp through counterculture, traditional culture, and the ironies
and
magic of life is designed to carry contemporary poetry enthusiasts into
a world
of madness, mayhem, and cultural inspection.
These
pieces are
free-flowing and anything but staid, blending autobiography with
inspections
steeped in poetry, prose, and a sense of discovery, whether personal or
social.
One
example is
the inspection of moms and meaning in "Carnation Formation For Our
Admiration." Here, the images capture a staccato display of sharp
points: "Anna
Jarvis, time of date/1908 she celebrates/A lullaby then sung by
Brahms/two
billion moms at hair salons/Her voice escape from bullied hate/now
calms this
state with wishes great/Roses, lilies, CBS series/those Big Bang
theories/Icing
on cake, the turkey we bake/your uninterrupted KIT KAT break..."
Contrast
this
piece with a study replete with wordplay and rich rhythms that injects
rap with
social inspection in "Resilience, Strength, It’s Not Too Late": "You
ask for peace, serotonin release/5-HTP need sleep increased/therapy,
parody/Robin Williams group hilarity/Quiet room, dazed, confused/this
wonderland in white costumes..."
The
rich musical
threads and personal inspections that run through these rhythmic
productions
lend to being read aloud for greatest impact. The force of the story
and rhyme
nearly leaps off the page, demanding to be set free against the
backdrop of
sound and music.
That
said, Euphoric
Wonderland offers poetry readers the opportunity to open and
challenge
their minds with family, cultural, and social observations that
condense images
and experiences into succinct, hard-hitting diamonds of observation.
Poetry
readers
seeking a romp through creativity, madness, and magic will find Euphoric
Wonderland just the ticket for a wide-ranging journey of
discovery that
challenges and invites on many different levels.
Not
your usual
staid collection, Euphoric Wonderland will delight
the minds and hearts
of readers who look for a smorgasbord of experience wrapped in
unexpected
imagery. It deserves a place in any literary library strong in
contemporary
poetry and social examination.
Return to Index
Looking for
a Weegie
to Love
Simon Smith
Independently
Published
979-8784634665
$9.99 Paper/$1.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Looking-Weegie-Love-One-Goal/dp/B09NR9QGLV
Looking for a Weegie to Love offers a
series of short stories about
a guy seeking love online, and will find a special place in the hearts
of
readers who have embarked on similar journeys to find widely ranging
options
presented via the relative autonomy of the internet.
Often
whimsical,
sexually graphic, and socially thought-provoking, the 11-story
collection opens
with a bang with "What Do You Identify As?", where the 33-year-old
single narrator finds himself in a Scottish swingers club during the
height of
a global pandemic.
As his
friends pair
up and marry, he finds himself increasingly alone and adrift. While
candidly
realistic about his chances of finding romance online ("Speaking
as a male, dating apps are a
chamber of lost hopes and broken dreams - where the advice ‘manage your
expectations’ should be on the T&Cs. For women, the chance of
finding a
match is apparently somewhere around 10 per cent. For men, it's 0.6."),
he acknowledges that the search for a true life partner may be as
simple as
downloading the right app and crafting the perfect profile.
His candid
assessment
of the possibilities and pitfalls make for a read both amusing and
startlingly
realistic: "After two hours of
Googling I came to the conclusion that if you were to follow all the
advice
from the top-ranking articles, I would be a mess of a caring fuckboy
that was
sociable but didn’t stand too close to friends to go unnoticed but also
touched
them to show friendliness, who had a unique but attractive hobby, was
down-to-earth but successful and popular with professional athletic
headshots
while looking straight at the camera."
The result
is a study
on filling out online surveys that attempt to match similarities, but
too often
identify opposites in life.
This
contrast between
past and present dating approaches and the process of capturing the
identifiers
that make for a winning match is very nicely done, and sets the stage
for the
other dating encounters.
As the
collection
unfolds, readers are sent down the rabbit hole (sometimes literally) of
ironies
and inconsistencies in relationships and lives. Simon Smith's ability
to create
a study in contrasts in loves and life contrasts graphic sexual
encounters with
stories that leave their readers feeling "a bit off kilter" much in
the way the characters evolve...and, satisfyingly so.
The aura of
unpredictability that permeates these stories and experiences creates
both a
literary and a social inspection of the dating milieu that is at once
entertaining and thought-provoking.
Libraries
looking for
contemporary short stories that illustrate social issues, dilemmas, and
anxiety
will find these UK-based tales amusing. They are anything but the
expected
treatise on the search for romance in odd places: "I
perched on the edge of what I thought was a cushion but when I
put my weight down there was a yelp of pain from my arse. A giant white
rabbit
burst from under the cushion, onto the floor then bolted out of the
living
room."
Return to Index
Rosebud:
A Poetry Collection
Nick Jameson
Infinite of One
Publishing
978-0578375151
$19.99
www.infiniteofone.com
Rosebud:
A Poetry
Collection is a powerful
gathering
of spirited insights that opens with a surprising prose introduction,
"The
Seafarer's Folly": "Directing himself towards his destination
unknown leagues over the looming horizon, the seafarer falls in love
with the
stars...They come and go, these great blinking beauties of the night,
illuminating and guiding him, saving him from being lost at sea...never
may he
learn, for in the obfuscation of the sun-starved night he needs them,
especially as his beleaguered craft is being mercilessly struck by
storms. So,
holding fast, he points his craft at the horizon, open to every spell."
The metaphorical promise of a starry night's
spell sets the stage for the allure that follows in works that reach
for
literary, philosophical, and spiritual heights. The subjects of these
poetic
presentations embrace rebirth, awareness, and awakening in various
ways, as in
"Rekindle the Core," which asks pointed questions: "Of what
you are to me, it cannot be said/Of saying any of not, for filling of
dread/When thought of you here, of love once more/Of decomposition not,
rekindle the core."
Nick Jameson
is as
adept at wielding free verse as he is rhyme. This is evident in a
myriad of
poems that employ both devices as they wind through love, loss, nature,
and
matters of the heart and soul: "There’s
no greatest strength without greatest weakness/No most empowering force
of
teeming heart/without it forever being about to burst/No greatest
future not
fueled by this/over-pressured, fissuring, fracturing force."
As in its
evocative
starry night introduction, these pinpoints of light set the darkness of
life
afire with astute observations and links between the human condition
and the
natural world.
Literary
readers will
especially appreciate the references to other works of literature
peppered
within and reinterpreted with a modern vision, as in "Siren's
Serenade," which portrays a modern-day Odysseus: "I am
Odysseus/Destined to drown in the
deep/Never finding
my way back to love."
Poetry
enthusiasts
who look for thought-provoking explorations of life and love, rooted in
nature
and literary allusion and backed by the power of free verse and rhyme
alike,
will appreciate the journeys undertaken in Rosebud, a psychological and spiritual series of
discoveries that tug at the heart and soul.
Return to Index
Bapaji and Me
Sadhna Bhatia
Bapaji Press
978-1-7356522-0-7
$24.95
Paper/$9.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Bapaji-Me-Memoir-India-Beyond/dp/1735652202/
Bapaji
and Me: A
Memoir of India and Beyond is a memoir of medicine and the
Indian
community. It documents a grandfather's history and influence and the
changes
that have affected India's relationships and regions.
Sadhna Bhatia weaves the
compelling saga of an
exceptionally wise grandfather who instilled in her, at an early age, a
love
for medicine and the conviction that she could grow up to be anything
she
wanted.
The juxtaposition of
cultural expectations, family
interactions, and professional pursuits is satisfyingly presented
through
explorations of a focus the entire family supported (albeit the dual
focus on
traditional life worked hand in hand with her pursuit): "...my
family had never even thought of my getting married. We had
focused only on my education, and I still had a year of medical school
and an
internship to go before I graduated. I could recall only one time that
Bauji
and Chaiji even mentioned marriage, when I had said that I was not
interested
in marrying a doctor because I thought married life would be boring,
talking
shop at home. They had expressed surprise at my opinion but said they
would
respect it. I was only twenty-two years old and was certainly not
running out
of time by any means."
As her life unfolds, the
world's political and social
milieu changes, and so do the traditions and values she grew up with.
Vintage
photos pepper the story to provide readers with family portraits and
lovely
images that bring to life not just family members, but even the family
dog.
Sadhna became a doctor and
moved to the United States,
where she was both the first female and a foreign resident on staff in
a
suburban Boston hospital.
This journey from an Indian
childhood to a very different
life embraces the possibilities of future generations when faced with
cultural
expectation and change. It documents how the thinking and encouragement
of
grandparents and family affect the outcomes and potentials of young
people,
providing a story replete in moments of transformation and choice.
The narrative embraces many
themes, from the importance
of family support, influence, and interactions to contrasts between
Eastern and
Western cultures and the changing opportunities presented to women over
the
decades.
It is especially notable for
its rich examination of
Indian life and culture, blending all these facets into a memoir highly
recommended for women who would understand the milieu of the past and
the
ramifications of making the most of their lives in modern times.
The sense of gratitude and
growth that permeates Bhatia's
story will serve as its own inspiration for future generations.
Return to Index
The
Book of Ruth
M. Ruth Little
Lystra Books
& Literary Services, LLC
978-1-7363055-5-3
$29.95 Paper/$7.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Book-Ruth-Taming-Ghosts-History/dp/1736305557
The Book of Ruth:
Taming Ghosts, Saving History is
a memoir about art, history, and the
culture of the American South. It follows the childhood, coming of age,
and
adult pursuits of M. Ruth Little, who became involved in historic
preservation
in North Carolina and dedicated her life to the effort.
As
Little faces
the panic attacks and psychological scars of her past, she comes to
realize
that taming these 'ghosts' of experience are intrinsic requirements for
preserving
history for future generations.
Little
captures
the major points of creating this memoir in an introduction that
clarifies the
importance of resolving past issues in order to move ahead with one's
life
purpose: "The Book of Ruth: Taming Ghosts, Saving History
explores the
four great challenges of my life: an ongoing struggle with panic
attacks; the
effort to have it all—personal fulfillment as a mother and the creative
fulfillment of a career; growing into my identity as an artist; and
finding
true love."
She
then
documents the process of finding her place in the world of historic
preservation with an eye to capturing the pivot points that marked and
influenced her adult interests: "Because of my familiarity
with
Scottish gravestones, I recognized that the little grave monument was a
rare,
early Highland Scots artifact. The gravestone would become a rosetta
stone for
me. But at the time I was focused on photographing the farmhouse and
didn’t
take a photo of the gravestone. After several weeks of being haunted by
the
evocative object, I returned to photograph it and discovered it was
gone.
Someone had removed it, whether to save or destroy it I never learned.
It
probably disappeared into a private collection. Old gravemarkers were
perishable, and I vowed that sometime in the future I would conduct a
survey of
early graveyards in the state and compile a photographic archive for
posterity."
From
her drive
to capture and preserve the history and nature of Black neighborhoods
to the
challenge of choosing between and juggling career with family, Little
provides
a vivid portrait of a life that became bound with the objectives of
preservation on many different levels: "My name has
exemplified many
things: mother, preservationist, professional, historian, artist,
educator, and
writer. “Mother” comes first because I would not take anything for the
experience of raising two children. Looking back, I would not change my
decision back in 1983 to choose marriage even though it altered my
career. I
didn’t lose my career—I gained my children—the lights of my life."
The
result is
much more than one woman's story alone, but reaches out to embrace the
topics
of preservation, historical and artistic involvements, and the nature
of being
not just a part of a changing community, but a documenter and preserver
of its
hallmarks of achievement.
To call The
Book of Ruth a biography or memoir alone would be to do it an
injustice.
Ideally, libraries strong in stories of historic preservation and
women's
career choices, as well as the changing culture and influences of the
American
South, will want to include it as an attractive and powerful discussion
point
for all these topics.
Return to Index
The
Daddy
Chronicles
Jayne Martin
Whiskey Tit
9781952600111
$14.00
Website: https://whiskeytit.com/product/the-daddy-chronicles/
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Daddy-Chronicles-Jayne-Martin/dp/1952600251
Jayne
Martin's
father left his family when she was born, so she grew up without a
live-in
father. The impact of this experience is captured in The
Daddy Chronicles,
a testimony to absent fathers' lasting influence on their prodigy. The
book
goes where few others dare in chronicling exactly what is lost when a
father
figure isn't there to fix or influence life.
Martin
tells her
story in a series of third-person vignettes. These act as cinematic
impressions
of life, growth, and change, successfully documenting the lessons
taught by an
absent father who only occasionally returns to make contact and confer
love,
only to vanish again. How these lessons translate into a daughter's own
relationships with emotionally absent and transient men in her life is
an especially
evocative part of the move from childhood to adult choices.
The
cinematic
feel of the story is reinforced by passages laden with insight,
emotion, and
predictive moments of enlightenment, destiny, and disaster: "This
is
the part of the movie where the audience is screaming at the
screen, “Don’t go down to the
basement!” On the screen in my
head though are all the times I’ve seen Franny crawl into her dad’s
lap,
watched them cuddle as he stroked her hair and kissed the top of her
head,
wanting so badly for it to be me his arms held."
While
The
Daddy Chronicles will reach a surprisingly large audience of
women and
girls who face similar feelings revolving around absentee fathers and
those who
try to replace them (some one in three women in the U.S. identify as
fatherless), the story also holds potential for educating another
unexpected
audience—the fathers themselves, who have made these decisions, watch
from afar
(or sometimes not), and who don't fully comprehend the results of their
actions.
Sometimes
what
is missing holds just as much impact as what is there.
Fathers
in such
positions need to read The Daddy Chronicles to
better understand their
daughters. It will be a difficult read: emotional, poignant, and
condemning.
But it's a powerfully important memoir that is highly recommended not
just for
women's issues, psychology, and parenting libraries, but for discussion
groups
attempting to heal daughters and educate fathers.
Return to Index
Land of Bear and
Eagle
Tanyo Ravicz
Hancock House
978-0-88839-722-5
$24.95
Publisher: www.hancockhouse.com
Author Website: www.alaskawriting.com
How many
people, at
odds with society, would decide to move their family to a homestead in
the
wilderness to press the reset button on a new life? Land
of Bear and Eagle: A Home in the Kodiak Wilderness documents
just such a move made by Tanyo Ravicz, who harbored an affection for
Alaska
from the moment he set foot in the state: "Almost
any way you turn in Alaska, nothing stands between you and the wild,
and the
frontier was always half inside us anyway, a state of mind and approach
to
life."
Ravicz's
essays and
sketches about the land and his Far North experiences do the next best
thing
for armchair readers who only dream of making such big moves, carrying
them
into a wilderness of heart and soul that pairs philosophical and social
inspection with meditations about nature and the land.
This wasn't
a quick
decision, but a simmering longing that took nine years to see fruition.
During
those years, Ravicz's father died, a daughter was born, and he entered
university for a master's degree supporting a career—about as far from
his
original idea as one could get from his years in Alaska.
Ironically,
it was
those years that gave him the skills and determination to enter on the
next
phase of his life: homesteading in the Alaskan wilderness. Indeed, this
was a
pivot point in more than just a personal way, because the window of
opportunity
for homesteading was closing, and this land offering by Alaska
represented the
final vestiges of a past opportunity that might soon be forever lost: "I had a gut sense that we were coming
to the end of something, all of us, even in Alaska, not just the end of
a
century but of a defining period in our history, a period in which
individualism was a living creed, a creed so vital to our identity that
our
government actually blessed the proprietary claims of determined,
hardworking
men and women by ceding to them, on their fulfilling certain
obligations, a
portion of its vast hoard of territory. In the years since I had moved
to
Alaska, the federal homesteading program had shut down."
Readers who
choose to
follow Ravicz into this dream receive not just psychological and
philosophical
inspections, but a "you are here" feel cemented by photographs
throughout, and by resonating words that follow in his footsteps: "The country is so vast and its
vegetation so profuse that it’s easy to miss the cabin on its hill, and
I have
overflown it in a seaplane without seeing it on the first pass. It is
wonderful
to arrive on a sunny day when the warmth of the mother planet exudes
through
all the tips of the grasses. I will soon be at work transporting my
supplies
and removing the bear guards from the door and windows, but there is
time for
all of that, and I like to linger on the beach for a while, glad to be
back and
steeping my senses in it, smelling the salt murk, feeling on my skin
the spritz
of the waterfall, and watching a salmon leap and an eagle glide by. To
return,
to find myself here again, it is to pick up the thread of a marvelous
dream."
Under his
hand,
Cottonwood Homestead comes to life, Alaska's rugged beauty and
individualist
dream return to the center of human experience, and readers will, for a
moment,
know freedoms wilderness milieus that seem to be long gone from this
world.
Too many
books merely
tell of experiences. Through
evocative words and compelling photographs, Ravicz recreates for us an
experience and an era, offering observations that vividly explore the
natural
and human worlds of Alaska, America's last frontier.
Readers who
look for
memoirs steeped in a sense of place, purpose, and adventure will find
these
elements and more in Land of Bear and
Eagle, a powerful, highly recommended pick that should be in
any library
collection strong in accounts of building a life on the land, of
wilderness and
its preservation, and of the American spirit of individualism and
independence:
"Homesteading ends when the spirit
of it ends, when people are seeking not salvation in the land but
recreation."
Return to Index
Looking for
Caylie
Misty Wolf
Independently
Published
9788985057713
$14.00 Paper/$9.99 ebook
https://www.amazon.com/Looking-Caylie-Unabashed-Breakthrough-Genetic-ebook/dp/B09RQG91K6
Looking
for Caylie:
An Unabashed Memoir of the Battle, Breakthrough, and Future with a
Genetic
Variant is a powerful story of health challenge, struggle.
It follows a
mother's fight to gain proper medical and educational services for her
child,
who suffered from a mysterious rapid cognitive regression and mental
health
deterioration that defied diagnosis.
Even when
the cause was pinpointed, the battle wasn't
over. Many of the issues Misty Wolf faced went above and beyond the
usual
parent or educator's call to help a child, requiring a series of
extraordinary
attempts and changing perspectives about the nature and services of
health care
and educational systems alike.
One notable
feature
of this story is that Wolf captures the dialogues, insights, and
interactions
between professionals, friends, and family members. It covers problems,
solutions, and exceptions to established treatment approaches and
rules: "'I’ve told the doctor and everybody
else, and I’m telling you: it’s not mental health. I don’t know what it
is yet,
but it’s not mental health. And if you mean talk therapy, she isn’t
willing to
hold a real conversation with anyone for very long.' In the case of
talk
therapy, Caylie would not benefit from it right now. I did, however,
have it on
my list to revisit for Caylie over the coming months. I again felt so
inadequate. I was Caylie’s Mom, and I had to trust that I knew I was
doing the
right thing even if no one else believed it."
Parents in
similar
situations with special needs children will especially relate to Wolf's
candid
accounts of what these interactions did to her psyche: "The
formal IEP was one of the most challenging moments of my
life. While the teachers and others gave ideas for Caylie’s goals and
current
educational progress, the whole meeting for me was a strain. I wish I
could say
I was optimistic that Caylie was ever going to meet the very simplistic
goals
we set, but I wasn’t. I selfishly wanted a break from all the demands I
felt
creeping in around me. There was a growing list of things I needed to
follow up
on to make progress for Caylie. I knew that life doesn’t stop for
self-doubt or
self-pity, and that I needed to persevere."
From struggles with
bureaucratic processes that didn't account for Caylie's special
situation to
Wolf's growing ability to reclaim her voice and purpose against all
odds, Looking
for Caylie carries
readers through
the maze of choices. They reveal the options, and good and bad actions,
and
reactions faced by a parent who forges ahead through impossible,
puzzling
health and social challenges.
More so than most books
about parents coping with a
child's disabling illness, Looking for
Caylie holds a special promise. It's the promise not of
resolution and
health, but that of survival, better days, and creating positive
pathways from
processes which weren't designed for flexibility or special
circumstances.
Looking
for Caylie's
ability to be heartwarming, enlightening, and proactive will involve
not just
parents, but educators and health professionals. It's a highly
recommended
acquisition for libraries catering to these audiences. It will spark
discussion
groups interested in exploring the legal, social, and moral impacts of
a
child's illness on the entire U.S. system, from medical to educational
and
parental support services.
Return to Index
Making It Up: The Vassar Class of ’65 on the
Cusp of Change
Selby McPhee
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-377-6
$18.00
www.atmospherepress.com
Making
It Up: The
Vassar Class of ’65 on the Cusp of Change
is a memoir of coming of age in the 1950s and 60s that offers a
different, socially intriguing perspective. It focuses on the lives of
graduating
women who were also on the cusp of seeing more opportunities than ever
before. Accordingly,
they were called upon to enter strange new waters with no role models
or
mentors for what they would become.
Selby
McPhee's story
captures a generation of women caught up in the throes of social
evolution in
America. More than a singular memoir alone, it adds much commentary
about the
history and evolution of women's rights and changing roles in society.
Her powerful
words
are just one thing that elevates Making
It Up from a singular experience to a social history of a
generation of
women that forged new roles and pathways: "Change
was already upon us in the summer of 1965, for everyone, including
those of our
classmates who, with relief, were flashing engagement rings in the
cafeteria
line senior year, whose weddings filled social calendars all that
summer. But
what about the rest of us, who now really needed to start defining
ourselves
and our place in the world as individuals, outside the conveniently
defining
role of wife? What did we do?"
She also
documents
the lives of other women who struggled with choices between career and
family, often
facing battles of wills against fathers, husbands, and other male
figures who
resisted these new opportunities for women. These additional
biographical
sketches of ordinary women called upon to achieve extraordinary things
make for
a collection of stories that is unified and strengthened by the
experiences of
a diverse population of women who forged careers and realized their
talents and
potentials.
Many of
these unsung
heroes deserve to be recognized for not just their achievements, but
for the
contrast between their lives and their mothers': "She
worked on cases in which, in violation of the law, pregnant
Black women in labor had been turned away from hospitals federally
funded for
Medicaid patients, a large percentage of whom were Black. Sylvia’s work
would
eventually help to break down the color barrier in hospital care. While
she was
working in the New York office, Sylvia often grabbed lunch at Wolfie’s
Deli in
Columbus Circle, a favorite lunch spot for her colleagues and
journalists from
the Public Broadcasting System (PBS), whose office was in the
neighbor-hood. It
was there that she met her husband, PBS journalist Ardie Ivie. When
asked if
she, like many of us in the Class of ’65, was concerned about finding a
husband
in those years, she says, “No. I dated a lot, but my main focus was on
work and
service. That was my mother’s message.”
The result
is a
personal, political, and social history that charts the progress of a
revolution in the hearts and minds of America's women from the 1950s
through
the 1960s.
The memoir
personalizes these experiences in such a way that future generations
will
readily relate to, and deserves top billing in any library strong in
women's
issues, American women's history, and memoirs.
Return to Index
My
Saddest
Pleasures: 50 Years on the Road
Mark D. Walker
Cyberwit
978-81-8253-931-0
$14.00
http://www.millionmilewalker.com
My Saddest
Pleasures: 50 Years on the Road
reflects on fifty years of travel
miscalculations, disasters, and adventure. It provides a short but
compelling
read that will interest and delight both armchair readers and those who
have
faced their own travel challenges.
As
Mark D.
Walker reflects on these experiences, he notes that "how and why I
travel
have changed over the years." As
he
moved from being a Peace Corps volunteer to marrying a Guatemalan,
becoming a
family man, then traveling for business, Walker presents the
quintessential
highlights of his travel experiences in short essays. These are
reminiscent of
Paul Theroux, but with the added value flavor of autobiography and
interactions
with the communities he traversed with different purposes throughout
his life.
Color
photos
also attract as he explores the work he did throughout his travels and
the
people he interacted with.
There
are many
travelogue books on the market which prove of special interest in a
time when
so much travel has been back-burned due to the pandemic.
My Saddest Pleasures differs from most both in its size and in its
succinct considerations
of how travel changes not just self, but the environments that the
traveler
encounters. The combined flavor of wonder, new experiences, ecological
and
social reflection, and adventure brings with it a newfound opportunity
to
understand the traveler's impact on a deeper level than most. Domestic
and
foreign experiences alike are outlined with these lessons in mind.
In
this case,
Walker's special attention to detail and purpose brings not just
himself but
others into potentially difficult environments to present eye-catching,
memorable
stories: "In typical weather, these rivers have powerful and
dangerous
currents, but they have added perils after significant rains. I
wondered why we
all had to put life jackets on until we started down the river and
encountered
massive piles of debris, including entire trees careening our way in
the
current! The operator, who was in the back, casually pulled the engine
out of
the water so we could pass over these obstacles. At that point, I began
rethinking the wisdom of bringing a large group of Rotarians on these
local
canoes."
The
result is a
mindful reflection on experience and lessons from life which offers
fellow
travelers insights into embracing the unexpected: "...we’re
almost at
our best and learn the most when we miscalculate and have to depend on
the
locals (and our wits) to figure a way out of the mess."
Libraries
strong
in travelogues, short travel essays, and thought-provoking experiences
captured
in word and image will relish the wide-ranging encounters outlined in My
Saddest Pleasures: 50 Years on the Road, a portrait of
discoveries, change,
and "what ifs" in a pre-pandemic world of opportunity.
Return to Index
Nettles and
Roses
Judith Elaine Hankes,
Ph.D.
As the Crow Flies Publishing
9798711962908
$12.95 Paper/$8.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Nettles-Roses-Story-Resilience-Redemption/dp/B09LGP2KSG
Nettles
and Roses:
A Story of Resilience and Redemption is a memoir of the
author's life, her
mother's life story, and memories of her life with her mother, who was
abused
as a child and carried the stigma and secret of her abuse into
adulthood.
Guilt and shame ruled her
life until she turned
thirty-four, when many things changed.
Readers might anticipate a
series of self-help insights
and lessons from Ruth's story, but to call Nettles
and Roses an example of healing alone would be to do it a
disservice. It's
also a story of perseverance and not giving up, exploring the
revelations
brought about by a combination of determination and spiritual awakening.
As the story evolves, it
tells of a mother who served as
a powerful example as an "indefatigable missionary" who carried her
resilience into marriage, motherhood, and the process of emptying the
nest and
sending her children into the world on their own wings of strength.
If there's one lesson to be
gained from Nettles and Roses, it's
that of how to
carry this determination to not just survive, but thrive, into life,
passing on
these approaches to the next generation.
From family interactions to
spiritual developments, the
story emphasizes this resilience and the process of achieving grace and
peace.
It serves as an inspirational guide for readers who have been handed
plates of
adversity at a young age, overcome much, and still find themselves in
better,
yet uncertain, circumstances: "I
came to realize that Mama and Papa were in love with the idea of being
homesteaders, of being survivors. Each was living a fantasy, and in
that
fantasy, the other was included. They had grown up together, parented
each
other, and created a home and reared a family. If their marriage ended,
much
would be lost—they both would be lost."
By providing a multifaceted
biography of the many forces
at work on individuals, couples, family, and life choices, Hankes
creates a
powerful story filled with many thought-provoking moments.
Libraries strong in memoirs,
spirituality, and family
insights will find Nettles and Roses
just the ticket for readers interested in how resilience is developed
and
passed on.
Return to Index
On Becoming
Me
Kirsten Hegberg
Pursell
Independently
Published
9781737770503
$12.99
www.kirstenpursell.com
"Much
of what
we remember is often how we choose to remember it. But when you write
it all
down, it is like going back in that moment, reliving it as the 1980’s
all over
again; reminding us how powerful the mind can be in changing the
memory’s
narrative."
On
Becoming Me:
Memoir of an 80’s Teenager is a
memoir that captures the "you are here" moments of a lively young
girl who became a shy teen struggling to find herself.
Unlike most memoirs which are written with
the gift of hindsight, On Becoming Me acknowledges
the fallacies of this
retrospective look-back form and instead draws from diaries and
writings
produced by Kirsten Hegberg Pursell at
key moments in her journey.
This creates a unique look back whose
approach and format is a true gift of time-travel. It doesn't just
recreate the
experiences, emotions, and the process of coming of age, but presents
these "live,"
as they happen.
One reason why this is so powerful is the gift of
consistency. Pursell
kept these diaries and writings from fourth grade onwards, and this
provides a
uniformity of evolutionary growth as it depicts its timeline of change.
The juxtaposition of these in-the-moment writings
with what Pursell
recalls now makes for particularly intriguing contrasts that also
demonstrates
the importance of keeping such writings to document life's big and
small
moments for future reflection: "There
is much I do not
remember. And much I remember differently than I wrote. Those were the
hardest
years of my life..."
Another notable feature relatively unique to this
compilation is that it
also includes conversations written down between friends, as in the
"Dee
and Deb" friendship journal entries that share observations and
insights:
"D:
I want to go to college…The ultimate dream (right now in my life) is
for me to
go away to college and he goes with me…I really like this guy. Why is
he such a
nobody? He has no ambition. So why?
K: …As for him having no ambition, who cares if he
does, as long as you love him and are happy?
D: Sorry dude, it matters a lot if he has no ambition.
I can’t have some immature, insecure asshole in my life. Someone who
doesn’t
want to achieve anything in life."
Purcell
adds
side notes that explain milieus, clarifies backgrounds, and expands the
impact
of these reflections:
"7/8/1985: Today we went to Bergen-Belsen, the
concentration camp. It had pictures of Anne Frank and other Jews.
Fascinating.
I am intrigued by all the history. I’ve always wanted to go to a
concentration
camp. It leaves a permanent impression in your mind.
[I took my daughter there in 2019. It became an
elaborate museum with an incredible historical display. We spent hours
reading
the history and then walked the fields. Left me with the same sad, sick
feeling
I had back in 1985.]"
With such a smorgasbord of experience under one
cover, libraries might question
who will be the audience for On
Becoming Me. This is easy to
answer.
It will attract those interested in the
culture and milieu of the 1980s and others who came of age during these
times.
Its fans will be readers who look for
in-the-moment writings: those rare chronicles of experience that don't
come
from the revised wisdom of hindsight.
And it will engross the creative writer and
the self-help reader who receives a vivid story not just of one
person's
growth, but a lesson in why journaling and writing is so important for
future
reflection.
These letters, journals, and diaries
consider many questions about everything from relationships to moral
development and social evolution.
On
Becoming Me is the perfect
acquisition for any library
interested in stories of growth and examples of creative writing
supporting it.
Return to Index
Poteet
Victory
J. Robert
Keating
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-282-3
$36.99 Hardcover
www.atmospherepress.com
Poteet Victory is a study of the life of Native American Poteet,
who became one of
the most-honored Native Americans of the past half-century. He was a
renowned
New Mexican painter whose works made millions of dollars, and his
subjects
captured the trauma and trials of the Native American experience for
the world
to see.
Interestingly,
J. Robert Keating's story blends fiction and nonfiction elements in a
strategy
designed to gain a maximum amount of readers from circles that might
not
ordinarily be attracted to nonfiction. Keating outlines the sources and
process
of his creation in a succinct introduction: "Poteet and Terry
Victory
are real people. Most of the dialogue in this book comes from
recordings and
transcripts of Poteet’s and Terry’s own words. There is more
information about
what is fact and what is fiction in the “Author’s Note” at the end of
the
book."
This
sets the
stage for a powerful "you are here" feel through Keating's use of
tense and description: "Poteet Victory is staring at his
canvas and
thinking about his Cherokee grandmother and her grandfather. He is
thinking
about the story he had first heard when he was a small boy. He had
replayed it
in his mind at least a thousand times. It is a tale of injustice that
still
riles his blood. But for now, he is considering how that tragedy plays
out in
paint and color on the canvas before him."
Keating
had much
material to synthesize and utilize. Poteet's life had no singular
drive, but
embraced many influences past and present as he moved from his Oklahoma
roots
to become part of a hippie commune in Hawaii, then went to New York
City, where
he was employed teaching art to some of the biggest names of his times,
including Andy Warhol.
Upon
his return
to Oklahoma, he fell into his roots and purpose when he began tapping
his
heritage to produce works that visually outlined and captured the
trials and
injustices of the Native American experience.
Keating
had so
much to work with that trying to place this life in an easily-digested
perspective must have been a challenge. Keep in mind that all these
elements
could well have resulted in multiple volumes under another hand, and in
a
nonfiction format may have proved a complex read.
Keating's
fictionalization of Poteet's story allowed him to add the dramatic
embellishments
that attract beyond a nonfiction genre audience, which brings this
story to
settle where it should—in the hearts of ordinary readers who initially
just
want a compelling read.
The
dialogue,
quipping, interpersonal interactions, and artistic and social
development and
observations of Poteet come alive in a form nonfiction alone never
could have
achieved.
No
prior
familiarity with Native American or art history is required in order to
pick up
and run with Poteet Victory.
It
received
further strength from Keating's personal interactions with Poteet,
during which
he was treated to Poteet's special brand of storytelling prowess which
brought
his background and experiences to life. The conversations between them
form the
dialogue and foundations of this book and contribute an especially
realistic
feel because it is written, as much as possible, in Poteet's own words.
The
potent
choice of blending drama with personal, social, and artistic inspection
makes Poteet
Victory highly recommended for contemporary literature
libraries looking
for high-impact reads steeped in history and drama alike.
Return to Index
The Reference Point
Johnny Bock
Lunchbreak Press
9798742220152
$15.00
Website: www.lunchbreakpress.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Reference-Point-Journey-Origin-Belief/dp/B093MYWV45
The
Reference
Point: A Journey to the Origin of Belief is a 1960s memoir
that begins in
an unusual place: with an attempted murder. Ironically, "his
attempt at murder would save his own life."
Thus opens the story of
young Johnny Bock's rollicking
rail ride through Alaska and life. The vivid memoir of inspection reads
with
the action and metaphors of fiction, but holds its roots entirely in
the
author's experiences and vivid encounters with man and nature alike.
Bock writes with a
descriptive hand that pulls readers
into each encounter and scenario: "He
didn't look like your average road-rummy or common packsack man. He was
straight-standing, big, and dressed more for style than comfort. His
pants were
pressed, and the color matched his waist-length jacket and button-down
cap. All
in all you'd think he'd be in an airport waiting for a plane instead of
thumbing a ride along the Alaska Highway."
From tramps and navigation
choices for traversing
Alaska's wilds to cabin-building and encounters with characters who
"have
a huge capacity for wind, but not much for alcohol," this story
represents
a vivid romp through Alaskan culture and bygone worlds and times that
come to
life during the author's journey.
As Bock's series of
encounters move from physical
journeys to psychological and spiritual movements changed by those he
encounters and situations he navigates, readers come to realize that
this
memoir offers more than an action-packed series of life adventures.
Within this
overlay of action lies an enlightenment that features its own special
brand of
attraction.
Readers looking for memoirs
that are vividly portrayed,
fun, and thought-provoking all in one will find these elements abound
in The Reference Point.
Its inspections entertain,
as well as delighting and
piquing the mind and heart with life experiences that are adventures in
spiritual growth and personal transformation as well as reviewing the
survival
skills that kick in to spice this life.
Return to Index
Big Shot
Kirsten Weiss
Misterio Press
978-1-944767-69-3
$3.99
https://www.amazon.com/Big-Shot-Small-Town-Mystery-ebook/dp/B096HXVM3X
Cozy mystery fans will find Big Shot an intriguing diversion from the
usual genre format in
many ways.
For one, its first-person
protagonist, Alice, is a bodyguard
who is undercover about her investigative abilities when a public
disaster
exposes her to unwanted publicity and leads her to flee to the small
town of
Nowhere, where she hopes to regain her anonymity and lick her wounds.
Unfortunately, fate has a
way of playing tricks, because
Alice's small town refuge proves anything but a way of avoiding fame: "The town had the bright idea of
attracting tourists with the world’s largest collection of Big
Things...
Nowhere now has the world’s largest pizza cutter. And lawn —amingo. And
ball of
yarn...And then I stumbled over a dead body."
Kirsten Weiss employs a
health dose of humor which serves
up a pleasant surprise, dressing the meal of a cozy mystery where
everything
goes wrong for the would-be investigator: "JUST
TO BE CLEAR, it wasn’t my fault. It wasn’t my responsibility either.
But when
your client slips you a mickey, there’s a principle involved. Though
after
falling down a flight of hotel stairs, I wasn’t entirely sure what that
principle was anymore."
This humor permeates the
entire tale and creates many
unexpected laugh-out-loud moments as Alice navigates her way through
treacherous waters, from her own brother's implication in the murder to
a
related series of events in which the bodies stack high.
From Alice's issues with an
unwanted dog and the equally
unwelcome questions from her brother Charlie about why she originally
left town
to intriguing psychological insights about family relationships ("Charlie and I were adults. We should be able
to have hard conversations. But that wasn’t why I’d brought it up. I’d
wanted
to punish my brother for making himself a suspect, for putting himself
at risk.
I’d let fear turn me into a jerk."), Weiss does an
outstanding job of
both personalizing Alice's present-day perspectives and reviewing the
influences that lead to bigger-picture thinking during a small town's
dilemma.
The result is a cozy mystery
that stands out from the
crowd with a spicy sense of humor and a series of encounters that are
not just
funny or intriguing, but also psychologically compelling.
Readers looking for cozy
stories packed with personality
will find Big Shot a winner,
suitable
for library selection and top profile for cozy mystery reading groups
alike.
Return to Index
Bycatch
Alexander Blevens
TouchPoint Press
978-1-956851-23-6
$15.99 paperback
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1956851232
Think 'murder thriller', and
a traditional genre read
replete with suspense and action come to mind. But Bycatch
is all this and more, incorporating politics, place, and
connections between past and present as a fisherman's murder in
Mississippi
becomes connected to events in Vietnam decades earlier.
Rex Thompson
has long
avoided discussing or acknowledging his role in events that happened
'in
country' all those years ago. Until now, when in 1993 a series of
events draw
him (however reluctantly) to confront the past's ongoing influence on
present-day events.
Bycatch is not your traditional murder
mystery. Embedded in its
pages is a sense of place, from the shrimp fishing boats and community
to the
emergence of a damning wartime journal that reveals secrets long hidden
and
perhaps best kept under water. Literally.
As Rex's
family and
their present-day choices are impacted by his sordid experiences, Rex
must make
difficult choices about whether to continue burying his secrets or
indict
himself by exposing them to the world.
Alexander Blevens creates a
moving draw with a story that
operates on moral and ethical levels against the backdrop of an unusual
murder
mystery.
He includes political
changes and conflicts as the
Vietnamese incursion on the local shrimping industry brings the war of
the past
home in an unexpectedly different way, and he also includes the trails
and
scenes that emerge from this past to present vivid memories to a
survivor that
only wants to walk away from his poor choices.
The psychological
inspections are as astute as the
unfolding dilemmas that embrace father, sons, and the community: “You felt guilty. You wouldn’t have given a
rat’s ass if you had found this out while you were still bending and
thinking
only of yourself. But now that you’re with God, everything’s changed.”
Readers who anticipate and
look for a whodunit alone may
be surprised at the twists and turns this story takes. It represents
not the
usual progressive investigative piece, but a foray into responsibility,
choice,
and action that places the protagonist in the position of being a
flawed hero.
The result is a story that
is highly recommended not just
for genre mystery readers, but for those with a special interest in
social and
spiritual revelations. These buffet protagonist Rex on all sides and
ultimately
leads to many surprise revelations and new resolutions.
Mystery libraries will want
to encourage non-genre
readers to partake of this unusually multifaceted story.
Return to Index
Dangerous
Waters
Mike Martin
Ottawa Press and
Publishing
9781988437828
$24.95
https://www.ottawapressandpublishing.com/products/dangerous-waters-by-mike-martin
Fans of Mike
Martin's
ongoing Sgt. Windflower mystery series will find another captivating
adventure
in Dangerous Waters. The tale heads
into uncharted territory as Windflower attempts to move away from his
calling
as a Canadian Mountie, only to find himself drawn into yet another
conundrum.
Three men
are missing
in Grand Bank, challenging Windflower's friend Eddie Tizzard, acting
head of
the Grand Bank detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. His old
boss,
Windflower, has suddenly resigned, leaving him to grapple with
conundrums as
Windflower tackles revitalizing a beautiful b&b business he
co-owns and
manages.
Despite
Windflower's
attempts to distance himself from the Mounties and their
investigations,
problems there reach out to impact his new civilian life as he finds
himself
drawn back into a situation which gives Tizzard dreams, nightmares, and
promises that confound them both.
Mike
Martin's
contrast between retirement's lure and the excitement of a case which
stymies
two professionals is very nicely done. Windflower's ongoing dilemma
between his
personal and professional lives forces him to think hard and fast about
solutions that he shouldn't be called upon to give.
As in the
previous
Windflower adventures, his family life is portrayed in a realistic,
compelling
manner that gives readers a full flavor of the two very different
worlds.
This, in
turn,
contributes to a plot that draws readers on various levels as
Windflower fields
one of the greatest mysteries of his career while struggling with the
idea that
he should be retired and away from such conundrums.
Windflower
is forced
to think about his future as the mystery evolves. A different kind of
happy
medium may be the result of his involvement, but only if he can muster
the
strength and savvy to stay true to himself while assisting Tizzard's
investigation.
Readers who
look for
multifaceted mysteries set in and steeped with Canadian small-town
atmosphere
and culture and spiced with the dilemmas faced by one who's trying to
be a
family man rather than a professional Mountie will find Dangerous
Waters another satisfying Windflower story of intrigue
and change.
More so than
most
mysteries, it is filled with psychological twists and turns and
lifestyle
concerns that keep readers engaged on more than one level.
It both
expands Sgt.
Windflower's life and adventures as a whole, yet can stand alone as a
satisfying foray into dreams, realities, and what happens when they
clash.
Libraries
strong in
cozy-style mysteries with the added value of bigger-picture questions
will find
Dangerous Waters a fine addition.
Return to Index
Dead Man's Pose
Susan Rogers
& John Roosen
G-EMS PTY LTD
and PS LLC
978-0-6454136-0-1
$6.99
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Dead-Mans-Pose-Mysteries-adventure-ebook/dp/B09SYJG1YP
Mysteries, tension, and yoga do not often appear
under the same cover,
but Dead Man's Pose,
a
Yoga Mat Mystery, combines these elements and more to create an urban
crime
scenario that is unusually compelling.
Elaina
Williams
finds inner peace on her yoga mat ... until one of her yoga students
dies in
class, disrupting the atmosphere of calm and safety that Elaina has
cultivated
for her students and herself.
Shaken
by not
just Mario's demise, but a desperate message he tried to give her
before he
succumbed, Elaina finds herself investigating events to determine their
underlying influences, embarking on a journey about as far from
serenity as you
can get.
Susan
Rogers and
John Roosen nicely juxtapose the unexpected milieu of the yoga world
with its
counterpart and alter ego in the crime world. Scenarios rely on yoga
principles
to move into realms the typical investigative personality can't fathom.
As
international
financial affairs, high-stakes gamblers and rollers, and connecting the
dots to
trace money, relationships, and mystery evolves into deadly danger,
Elaina and
Ric find they've uncovered a complex situation that draws them ever
closer to
danger.
The
story is
cemented not just by a sense of Australian culture, but with
atmospheric
descriptions the authors take the time to fully develop: "Ric
awoke
with the sunlight clawing at the corners of the blind. The squillo
trumpet
sound from one raven was like that of a brazenly robust opera singer
beginning
an aria. Backup ravens provided the chorus while flitting around in the
trees."
Intrigue,
urban
underground lifestyles, and a bigger financial picture of entanglements
than
either could have realized keep Elaina and Ric on their toes and
immersed in a
"crime potluck" that is satisfyingly filling and attractive.
The
Australian
backdrop, the connections of the key characters in the yoga world, and
the
political questions which arise during the course of their
investigation makes
for a multifaceted story which operates firmly in the arena of the
unexpected.
This succeeds in presenting satisfying twists and turns that even
seasoned
mystery readers won't see coming.
Rogers
and
Roosen have created a winning formula in the form of a serene yet
determined
yoga instructor who ventures beyond the mat and into a world beyond her
normal
comfort zone.
Readers
looking
for mysteries that are more than a cut above the ordinary progression
of events
will relish the changing crime scenes and their financial world roots
in Dead
Man's Pose, and will find the realistic characters and their
compelling
investigative challenges to be thoroughly absorbing.
Return to Index
Death in a
Pale Hue
Susan Van Kirk
Level Best Books
978-1-68512-126-6
$16.95 Paper/5.99 Kindle
www.LevelBestBooks.us
Guilt never dies. Particularly when it draws
you back to hometown situations of the past which sully present-day
opportunities and reputations.
Fans of the
arts and
community art centers that also happen to relish good mysteries will
especially
appreciate the artistic focus of Death in
a Pale Hue, a mystery that colors its world with the backdrop
of painting
endeavors.
Jill Madison has returned to her hometown to reset her life as manager of a new community art center. The last thing she expected to encounter in her new position is a puzzling murder; but a burglary and an uninvited corpse in the basement bring her into personal contact with murder in a way that makes her both involved and a target.
Susan Van
Kirk's wry sense of humor adds an extra layer of inviting atmosphere
to the story right from its opening lines: "In
the heartless cruelty of my sixth-grade year, I sat behind Ned Fisher
in
English class, joining in the snickers of my friends. Ned had ears that
stuck
out from his head like Dumbo the elephant, and he probably wished he
could fly
away. Now, decades later, I found myself once again occupying a seat
behind Ned
Fisher. But this time I was in the back of his police car. I wasn’t
laughing."
It's lucky
that Jill
has a detective brother. And fortunate that some of this has rubbed off
on her,
adding a surprising skill set to her artistic interests. But, will
providence
and savvy be enough to vindicate her and keep her safe?
Van Kirk
offers a
mystery that is especially strong in its first-person characterization.
The
reflections that motivate Jill and those around her often take on
succinct
philosophical connections to the art world that are especially pleasing
summaries of events: “You know, at times
I think a murder investigation is a lot like painting.”
“Oh. Why?”
“You step back ten or twelve paces, look at your work, and realize a
different perspective helps.”
As Jill, her
detective brother Tom, and her friend Angie become more and more
committed to
uncovering the truth, readers receive a cozy story in which an amateur
sleuth
uses her artistic powers of observation to notice clues that others may
pass
by.
The result
is an
intriguing story filled with art and community references—a story of
small town
affection, love, and loyalty where a murder is augmented by family and
hometown
connections and new beginnings.
Readers
seeking a
feel-good mystery will find this atmosphere permeates a highly
recommended
story that profiles unusual characters and the unexpected, creating a
story of
friendship and an evolving new universe of possibilities that comes not
just
from problem-solving, but from revitalizing connections.
Return to Index
Esbenshade
John Alvah Barnes,
Jr. & Naomi Lynn Barnes
Alvah Arts
978-1-7350947-8-6
$16.99 Paper/$4.99 ebook
www.alvaharts.com
Esbenshade is a modern thriller that
revolves around paramedic Jay,
who faces a difficult truth when a patient in his twenties dies of a
brain
tumor. It is then that he learns this relatively rare incidence is only
one in
a community pummeled with unusual medical challenges.
The
emotional surge
and investigation that follows draws Jay from his medical specialty
into a
world of subterfuge and secrets as he probes the cause of this
onslaught of
rare health challenges while maintaining his role as husband, father,
and
community member.
As he
becomes
entangled in a deadly plot that holds personal ramifications, Jay finds
his
career and life threatened by a truth nobody wants to tackle, much less
admit.
The Barnes
do a fine
job of exploring the relationship between Jay, his female partner, and
the
stress that he experiences from his newfound position as a
quasi-investigator: "I'm sorry, Sam. I've
been feeling a
little stressed out lately."
"I'm not surprised. Things haven't exactly been sedate."
"I don't ever remember feeling so uptight. So bottled up and
unsure of what's going on in my life."
"You could talk to somebody, you know?" she said gingerly.
"I'm talking to somebody now."
"I mean a professional."
"You mean a head-shrinker."
"Oh, come on, Jay, you know better than that. The dumbest thing
you can do is not get help when you need it."
Such
dialogue brings
his conundrums, skills, and new challenges and realizations to life as
Jay
struggles with roles he's unfamiliar with and doesn't feel certain
about
assuming.
From mystery
informants and deals to juxtaposing a typical paramedic's ambulance
duty with
issues of community safety and politics, Esbenshade
creates an atmosphere in which its characters are provoked to rise to
unusual
occasions and conclusions as a medical mystery turns into a social
threat.
As the odds
of
resolution and survival narrow, Jay experiences personal and
professional
growth that readers will find particularly intriguing and inviting as
the
countdown towards a real disaster begins.
The
characters are
personable, realistic, and memorable, as are the situations that compel
them to
act and react beyond their training.
Readers who
choose Esbenshade for its thriller
components
will find the action well cemented in realistic scenarios that contain
elements
of surprise, while those who look for medical thrillers well grounded
in
interpersonal and community relationships will find Esbenshade
equally absorbing.
Libraries
strong in
medical thriller stories will find Esbenshade
a fine addition.
Return to Index
Fire
& Ice
B.T. Polcari
The Wild Rose Press
978-1-5092-4295-5 $18.99
Paper/$4.99 ebook
Publisher: www.thewildrosepress.com
Author Website: www.btpolcari.com
Fire & Ice is the second book in
the Mauzzy & Me mystery
series, and returns Sara Donovan and Mauzzy to the limelight a year
after the
last story's setting. No prior familiarity with Sara and her sidekick
is
necessary in order for newcomers to seamlessly enter her world and its
latest
exploits.
Twenty-year-old
college student Sara has a temporary summer job in Washington, D.C. and
the
desire to hone her superpower of observation skills, even if it means
that her
novice status gets in the way of her ability to successfully address
adversity.
B.T. Polcari
injects
the same sense of humor about life's ironies and events as in the prior
book. This
approach will especially attract readers who like their mysteries
replete in
unexpected moments of fun as well as discovery.
As Sara
faces a heist
myth and its reality and navigates a milieu in which she is charged
with
personal decisions over clues as seemingly innocuous as a candy bar
(with
hazelnuts), readers embark on a fun romp through professional and
novice
investigator circles as she considers the importance of journals that
may lead
to treasure.
As ciphers,
messages,
a brother's involvement, and Mauz, a master manipulator, evolve;
readers will
appreciate the heady romp through amazing circumstances powered by a
headstrong
young woman and her stubborn pursuit of an elusive truth.
Polcari's
ability to
craft a mystery that will leave readers laughing and thinking nearly
simultaneously adds another delightful chapter to Sara and Mauzzy's
world. Fire & Ice is
especially highly recommended
for prior fans and libraries interested in mysteries that are driven as
much by
powerful personalities and life ironies as they are by the promise of a
treasure hunt and reward.
Return to Index
House
Boy
Lorenzo
DeStefano
Atmosphere Press
9781639882434
$18.95
www.atmospherepress.com
House Boy's
title doesn't portend the thriller components wound into its vivid
story, and
readers may be especially delighted to discover a London-based
experience that
is as steeped in social criticism and inspection as it is in intrigue.
Slavery
in
modern-day London? Yes, this is only one of the issues explored in House
Boy,
a chronicle of human slavery and sex trafficking which centers on
tragedy,
inhuman conditions, and events that cross cultures and borders from
India to
the rest of the world.
Lorenzo
DeStefano adopts a dark introspective atmosphere from the opening
sentences of
his story: "It is impossible at first to confirm the thing or
thing’s
identity. The Tamil Nadu sun, true to its savage reputation, renders
familiar
people, even members of one’s own family, as unrecognizable as total
strangers.
The quasi-human shapes move in a kind of undulating fashion along one
bank of
the sacred Cauvery River, appearing then disappearing in the piercing
glare.
When the dust parts, softened momentarily by obscuring clouds, it
reveals not
one being but two."
This
then
shifts, only to become stronger as the tale evolves to inspect
twenty-something
Vijay Muthu Pallan's life and choices.
It's
unusual to
find a mystery so thoroughly laced with contemporary social issues, but
DeStefano creates a delicate dance through emotional territory that
juxtaposes
intrigue with thought-provoking social and psychological inspections
and
cross-connections that operate on a global scale.
As
Vijay, Binda,
Sheela, and others interact, readers are treated to a special story
steeped in
South Asian cultural and religious themes that come into play to affect
and
change Vijay's life.
House Boy
comes full circle as it moves between India and London. Its ability to
carry
readers into unfamiliar territory with a combination of mystery and
social
revelations makes it far more than a thriller genre read alone,
creating a
thought-provoking discourse that will attract book discussion groups
interested
in civil rights inspections.
As
it moves from
terrorist threats and manipulation to sexual battery issues and
psychological
disintegration, readers will find many 'trigger issues' to navigate in
a story
that rewards its audience with gripping moments and surprising
revelations.
House Boy
is especially recommended for libraries that look for more than the
usual
thriller story. Permeated with cultural observation and messages, it
offers
quite a different focus and insights than most as it traverses the
human psyche
and its ability to perform, accept, or defy grave injustices.
Return to Index
Kick
Ball Slay
Doug Dorsey
Studio 15
Publishing
979-9856953-3-5
$14.99 Paper/$3.99 ebook
Website: www.studio15inc.com
Ordering: www.amzn.to/3tEkYtf
Kick Ball Slay: An
Introduction to West Coast Swing...
AND a Murder Mystery is a
Christian thriller designed to attract detective and mystery fans who
look for
spiritual components and fine tension in their investigative reads.
Detective
Evann
Myrick is busily investigating a series of murders that have something
to do
with the dance world and West Coast Swing. The killer proves well
versed not
only in this exuberant form of dance, but in eluding the forces that
would call
it to a halt.
Ideally,
readers
will harbor a dual interest in West Coast Swing dance and murder
mysteries. The
juxtaposition of intrigue with dance information is well-done, and
though such
a background isn't a requirement, those who do have such interests will
find
the backdrop more than familiar and inviting. This lends to a
thoroughly
enjoyable immersion into dance competitions and the high-pressure world
of the
dance community.
As
Myrick
questions recent deaths and dancer connections and begins to connect
the dots
of ravaged lives and relationships within the community, he also
uncovers a
thread of connection that helps him edge towards healing his own
emotional
trauma: "Victoria stopped talking and simply smiled at
Myrick, grateful
that the detective, who was on duty, still found time to show a little
compassion within his work. She also could sense the profound sadness
in him,
and understood that her loss, while having some similarities, also had
significant differences."
Doug
Dorsey
takes the time to interconnect these disparate lives both within and
outside of
the dance world.
This
contributes
to a multifaceted mystery that operates on several different levels as
the perp
and investigator's lives draw together on the playing field of broader
dance
community concerns.
Everyone
has
their stories to tell. As Myrick exposes them and draws closer to the
truth,
mystery readers will be satisfied by the many unexpected twists the
story
takes, while dance-oriented followers will appreciate the social and
political
nuances that are exposed in the process of hunting down a murderer.
Myrick's
dance
notes turn into a different flavor of inspection that readers will find
as
intriguing as the dilemmas he finds himself in, while philosophical
reflection
peppers a story that follows Myrick's life and revised purposes: "Riley,
police work… and all the treasured experiences up to this point in his
life…
those were the things that made him who he was."
Kick Ball Slay introduces West Coast Swing against the nuances of
a murder
investigation. Its rich descriptions of characters that operate in a
different
environment contributes strength to a story that ideally will be chosen
not
just by murder mystery fans, but by those who enjoy dance and
psychological
growth stories.
Return to Index
Kill Romeo
Andrew Diamond
Stolen Time Press
978-1-7341392-6-6
$4.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Kill-Romeo-Freddy-Ferguson-Book-ebook/dp/B09Z77VL36
Kill Romeo is the second thriller in the
Freddy Ferguson series,
and opens with an intriguing mystery: Freddy's dog has found, in the
muddy
woods, an unsullied white satin shoe. When Freddy locates the body of
its
owner, more incongruities arise: "Who
dresses like this in summer? Not someone who’s going into the woods.
Not
someone who’s planning on being outside in the muggy August heat."
Freddy's
discovery
opens up a can of worms as he investigates the woman's life, the
circumstances
that led to her being in the woods, and the clues that indicate a love
affair
gone awry.
He didn't
expect the
trail to wind through international special interests, intrigue, and
circumstances which move from the possibility of a one-man cult to
operations
the CIA and FBI are involved in that don't always make it to court.
From coded
messages
in a notebook to Freddy's efforts to suppress an attraction that
challenges his
professionalism, the story provides a riveting blend of personal and
investigative conundrums that keep Freddy and his readers on their toes.
The
atmosphere of
noir detective stories of the past blends nicely with the modern
high-tech
scenarios Andrew Diamond incorporates into Kill
Romeo. These elements create a satisfying juxtaposition of
past and present
as Freddy practices a difficult form of restraint even as he's called
upon to
win a fight he's barely capable of entering.
The
emotional interactions
between Freddy, Claire, and a host of other characters keep readers
guessing
and the psychological tension high, as what begins as a puzzling murder
turns
into something unexpectedly even more complex on many levels.
The result
is an
investigation into murder, international and technological influences,
and
matters of the heart as Freddy's progression leads him to promise
things he may
not ultimately be able to deliver.
Libraries
who like
the mix of noir detective investigation with thriller components will
find Kill Romeo an excellent,
special blend
of action and psychological insights.
Return to Index
The
Moment of
Menace
Joe Rothstein
Gold Standard
Publications
978-0-9995655-4-4
$12.95 Paper/$22.95 Hardcover
Website: www.joerothstein.net
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Moment-Menace-Future-Glorious-Unless/dp/0997699965
The Moment of Menace is a political thriller that revolves around a
dangerous attempt to
take over the U.S. government. Only one individual stands in the way of
their
success.
U.S. President Isabel
Aragon Tennyson is a tenacious and charismatic Latina-American
politician and
heiress whose office has survived scandal and controversy before. Now she faces her
biggest challenge yet as she begins her second term in office and she
and her
mentor, Ben Sage, confront forces set to rock American democracy to its
foundations.
Joe
Rothstein
creates an atmosphere that blends politics with interpersonal
relationships in
a satisfyingly realistic manner as Ben and Isabel confront forces
neither has
experienced before. Rothstein's attention to building their
relationship as
well as the outside political currents buffeting their world lends a
realistic
feel to the thriller components: "As president, Tenny was
accorded the
deference of the office by just about everyone in the world. But after
decades
of working together in high-intensity political battles, no veil of
power
separated Tenny and Ben. They were just people. Best friends."
How
to replace
and attack a strong sitting presence? Disabling the president and vice
president could result in the kinds of changes these special interest
forces
have in mind.
As
White House
political cat-and-mouse games evolve, readers who enjoy intrigue and
thrillers
will find the realistic, compelling saga hard to put down.
Rothstein's
attention to crafting full-flavor characters, tension on all sides, and
unexpected twists of purpose and plot grab and hold reader attention
until the
end. The blend of real-life social and political issues with a
fast-paced,
engrossing story line will attract leisure readers and thinkers alike.
Libraries
interested in political thrillers replete in psychological strength and
community commentary will relish the realistic atmosphere and gripping
questions raised in The Moment of Menace. It offers
insights and
possibilities that ideally will be debated and discussed in book club
groups or
among students of science, technology, and government processes.
Return to Index
On Lonesome Roads
Dan Flanigan
Arjuna Books
979-8-9855614-1-8
$7.99
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Lonesome-Roads-Peter-OKeefe-Book-ebook/dp/B09WTBBMN8
On
Lonesome Roads
is the third book in the Peter O'Keefe detective mystery series, but it
should
be noted that no prior familiarity with its predecessors is required in
order
to appreciate the latest P.I. O'Keefe exploit.
He's continuing to heal from
injuries in his last case,
and the perps who changed his life continue to prove elusive.
The story opens with a 1988
news report about O'Keefe's
car bombing incident and an open-ended case that still has no
resolution.
Dan Flanigan then moves
further into O'Keefe's life as he
pursues the man who hunts him and who has cast his family life into
disarray.
He takes the time to expose and explore the P.I.'s dedication to
solving crimes
and restoring his personal life at the same time.
His attention to describing
the PTSD that dogs O'Keefe in
addition to the latest real-world threat will particularly intrigue and
engross
readers: "O’Keefe failed to
appreciate the unexpected warmth of a false-spring day in March as he
absent-mildly
jaywalked across the street in front of the Courthouse to the parking
lot. In
the Wagoneer, inserting the key and turning it to start the engine, he
cringed,
a memory flash of another key turned in another ignition switch, and he
realized that during the few minutes it had taken him to navigate from
that
small office in the courthouse to the parking lot, his conscious mind
had
stopped working. The turning of the key, no longer an automatic,
thoughtless
act for him, jarred him back to full consciousness, like awakening from
a deep
sleep and not immediately understanding where he was. He had never
walked in
his sleep, but this last few minutes must have been something like
that. He
attributed the closing of his mind in those few minutes to massive
denial, near
panic-stricken resistance to what they had told him. It called
everything into
question."
Flanigan expands O'Keefe's
personality and concerns into
a deep psychological probe. This proves as intriguing as the
investigation
cat-and-mouse game between hunter and prey in which roles continually
switch,
leading O'Keefe to question those around him ("Was
this sincere or sinister?").
As issues of belief,
recovery, and dogged determination
emerge against the backdrop of a life changed by violence and plagued
by lack
of resolution, the P.I. mystery includes deeper questions and
psychological
insights than most detective stories offer.
On
Lonesome Roads
is thus notable, excellent, and highly recommended not just for its
addition to
the series or its expansion and continuing exploration of the
protagonist's
growth and healing, but for its in-depth psychological portrait of a
personality struggling to find its way back to a semblance of normalcy.
Mystery libraries seeking
works that both compliment a
series yet stand strongly on their own with important messages about
psychological interactions and recovery processes will On
Lonesome Roads a fine addition.
Return to Index
Pura
Vida
Jim Utsler
Cresting Wave Publishing, LLC
978-1-956048-14-8
$13.99 Paper/$1.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Pura-Vida-Jim-Utsler/dp/1956048146
Pura Vida
takes a Costa Rican phrase and way of life (it translates to "pure
life" or "simple life") and winds it into a heist thriller based
in that country. The story follows the life of Detroit
homicide
detective Jacob Miller, who has moved to Costa Rica after many mishaps,
only to
find himself now immersed in an international crime affair.
Jim Utsler
brings to
life the gritty, streetwise voice of the detective narrator in a manner
that
adds instant attraction to his past experiences and present-day
dilemmas: "I’d like to say I didn’t know
whose
idea it was to kill Willy. But that’d be a lie. I’d also like to think
I wasn’t
the duplicitous type—whatever that means—but that would be a lie, too."
The cultural and social differences between
the U.S. and Costa Rica also are brought out during the course of
action which
creates a fine series of inspections contrasting these different
environments: “No, no, no, it’s not,” the
captain said as
we continued outside. “It’s not like in the States, sí?
He needs a lawyer first, and the lawyer must be present.” He
paused at the driver’s side door of his small SUV, looking at me over
the roof
of the vehicle. “We have rules here,” he continued, smiling at me,
throwing me
a wink as if to say, “You have no rules where you come from.”
From Costa Rican law's sometimes-confusing
differences to Jacob's involvements in a series of crime escapades that
tests
his professional background and ability to adapt, Utsler's first-person
inspection of violent crimes, lies and testimonies, and stymied
detectives and
politicians alike draws Jacob into a world that is both foreign and
familiar at
the same time.
Utsler's contrast of Jacob's ability to
navigate this changed realm using some of the tools of his past makes
for a
satisfyingly gripping mystery that laces atonement and good and bad
decisions
with a touch of unexpected romance.
Pura
Vida
becomes more than a Costa Rican phrase about 'pure life' under Utsler's
hand.
He uses it to help his character redefine his motives, mission, and the
ironies
that buffet his efforts.
All the elements of an involving crime
thriller are here, but the real draw is the backdrop of Spanish and
Costa Rican
culture which embraces a different, challenging environment that forces
Jacob
to draw upon past skills sets in a new and brilliant manner.
The
result is a mystery especially highly
recommended for libraries seeking powerful stories of cultural
adaptation,
crime world involvements, and revelations about choices and their
consequences
as Jacob struggles to find his way through life towards new
realizations:
"My entire working career had been based on the misconception
that I
was somehow purer because I wore a badge. That I was that thin blue
line
between order and chaos. But we’re all flawed—morally suspect and
ethically
challenged."
Return to Index
The Scarlet Oak—Murder,
Spies, and Spirits
Jerry Aylward
Wild Lion Publishing
979-8-9859052-0-5
$14.99
print/ $5.99 ebook
Website: http://www.jerryaylward.com
The
Scarlet
Oak—Murder, Spies, and Spirits is a historical mystery set
during the
Revolutionary War. It holds the feel of a hard-boiled detective story
paired
with the backdrop of Colonial America.
The story opens in modern
times, however, as detective
Finn faces a deadly and puzzling car accident involving teens. Who
might have
wanted these kids to die? There are no obvious clues in the present,
but he
does dig up a series of related events which hold their roots in early
American
history. Nobody else believes the wreck to be anything more than an
accident.
Finn embarks on his own
unofficial query, mixing in facts
about a deadly murderer on a rampage in the past with present-day
events until
he literally finds himself in 1780, confronting the British, the truth,
and the
possible love of his life, Sally
Townsend. She is facing her own murder inquiry in her times, and
solving this
problem of the past could result in resolution in Finn's future...as
well as
loss.
It's rare to see a time
travel story blended into a
murder mystery replete with historical details and social and political
observations past and present. Jerry Aylward achieves this synthesis of
subjects with an engrossing and realistic portrait that will appeal to
readers
on different levels.
His ability to create the
foundation of the tale in
present-day events, then link them to past circumstances, enables them
to take
on unexpected life in a way usually not seen in the traditional
detective/murder investigation scenario. This approach makes for a
story filled
with surprises.
"This
will
build your character. It will give you strength. It will make you
mentally
strong. You’ll need this, I promise you, because you are the Final One."
As Finn also probes his
motivations, influences, psyche,
and destiny, readers receive a mystery, historical probe, love story,
and
social inspection, all in one. These themes are seamlessly woven into a
tale of
intrigue that traverses past and present events to capture matters of
the heart
and soul.
Mystery libraries looking
for something edgy and
different in the genre which holds the uncommon ability to attract
readers
outside traditional detective whodunit circles will find The
Scarlet Oak—Murder, Spies, and Spirits a worthy addition,
highly recommended for mystery, history, and romance readers alike.
Return to Index
A Sickening
Storm
David E. Feldman
Eface
Media
978-0578297538
$11.95
Paper/$3.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Sickening-Storm-Gripping-Mystery-Thriller/dp/0578297531
A Sickening Storm places investigator Dora
Ellison and her companion and love, librarian Missy Winters, in a
precarious
position when a sudden string of deaths at a medical center baffle the
physicians who should be experts.
That's
because they are experts in medicine, but not murder.
Robin
Cook has been the most visible proponent of medical thriller writing,
but he
faces a formidable challenger with David E. Feldman's latest story,
because
Dora Ellison is more than proficient at navigating stormy waters of
illness,
employing her special talent for problem-solving in unexpected ways.
An
intriguing prologue cultivates a special observational voice that draws
readers
into the perp's vision: "How
appropriate that during a worldwide pandemic, you are spreading your
own brand
of pandemic in the name of justice, in the name of redress. In the name
of
love." This is an especially interesting preface to the
third-person
story that opens in the first chapter with a review of Beach City, its
medical
center, and its residents.
Dora
doesn't
just operate in P.I. circles. She baby-sits, she dog-sits, and she
interacts
with children and adults even as she is drawn into the special dilemma
of a
medical center that faces ruin if the cause of its mysterious deaths
from a
variety of pathogens is not uncovered and resolved quickly.
Feldman's
ability to draw together personal lives, ambitions, and conundrums
makes for an
especially realistic scenario in which Dora's life is explored and
shaken as
much as the political and medical world of her latest client.
The
possibilities of this human-manipulated local epidemic are especially
timely,
given the world's experience with COVID, linking into emotional
concerns in a
special way that draws readers into an environment they may have only
viewed
from a safe distance pre-COVID.
The
intrigue,
the possibilities, the medical challenges, and the efforts of Dora and
Missy to
not just compliment traditional investigative processes, but top their
best
players make for a thoroughly engrossing story that operates on
different
levels of complexity.
The
result is a
gripping, tense mystery thriller that brings Dora and Missy's world to
life,
testing their courage and tenacity in a story highly recommended for
libraries
seeing special interest in medical mysteries.
Return to Index
Sledge: Rise of the Humanoid
R.D. Crist
ShoRic Publishin
978-0999882245
$13.99
Paper/$4.99 Kindle
Website: https://www.scarletreignbooks.com/sledge
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Sledge-Rise-Humanoid-R-D-Crist-ebook/dp/B09WXQ1VFS
Sledge:
Rise of the
Humanoid combines an attention to business detail with the
tension of a
thriller as it traverses the collision of different worlds during a
weekend
getaway that turns into disaster for all involved.
The weekend promises new
opportunities for revitalized
relationships and a business restructuring that could help the company
group
members survive on different levels ... or destroy it.
As the special interests,
personalities, and talents of
Gene, Sandy, and others evolve, readers come to realize that the story
is more
complex than that of a business retreat and restructuring effort alone.
It evolves into a fight that
entangles everyone, with
different stakes resting on the outcome of decisions which will affect
not only
their lives and business, but the world.
R.D. Crist does an
outstanding job of building these
disparate, yet interconnected personalities and the milieu in which
they
struggle. They become trapped, people are dying, and answers are
elusive.
Within the story of Sledge
are moral and ethical
considerations of justice, brutality, and a drive for revenge that is
some ten
years in the making.
The emergence of Sledge and
his sledgehammer form of
vigilante justice adds intrigue and tension to a story already spiced
with
personality clashes and special interest issues.
Crist's tale incorporates
violence and dangerous
encounters, but it also explores the strengths of individuals who
cultivate,
the hard way, the traits of a survivor.
These inspections of
struggle and perception contribute
to the novel's many unexpected developments as disparate characters are
forced
to reconsider their actions, choices, and impact on the world.
Readers will find Sledge:
Rise of the Humanoid a powerful saga of survival and change,
and will
appreciate Crist's ability to juxtapose the lives and purposes of a
range of
characters as Sledge changes them all.
Libraries strong in
thrillers with a message will find Sledge:
Rise of the Humanoid just the
ticket with its thoroughly engrossing, thought-provoking read.
Return to Index
Up the Creek
Lynda McDaniel
Lynda McDaniel Books
978-1-7346371-7-5
$2.99 ebook/$8.99 paperback
Website: https://www.LyndaMcDanielBooks.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B2KPL448/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i10
Up
the Creek
provides another Appalachian mountain mystery addition (the sixth in
the
series) with a novella that opens in 2009 in Laurel Falls, North
Carolina.
Abit Bradshaw has just spent
a sweaty morning cutting
down alder trees when he discovers a body in a creek—a complete
stranger— who
is not dead yet, although he is at death's door.
Abit is used to rough people
and uncertain responses to
his efforts: "I hated thinking
thataway, but out here in the mountains, away from even the small town
of
Laurel Falls, I had to consider all the possibilities. And yet didn’t
that
include good things happening too? I wondered what in my makeup kept me
from
seeing him getting well and offering me a million dollars instead of
slitting
my throat. Of course, I knew why. Good things like that didn’t happen."
But his religion is
kindness, and he is dedicated to this
watchword even if his isolated life on the farm doesn't allow many
opportunities to practice it.
As the stranger recovers but
has amnesia, clouding his
past and what he introduces to Abit's isolated family, different facets
of
mystery emerge, nicely steeped in the culture, traditions, and
influences of
the Appalachias.
Friend Della Kincaid, who is
an intrinsic part of other
books in the series, juxtaposes her life with Abit's and continues her
"reporterly ways" of "wheedling information outta people."
This adds more developments and inspections to the story as the
community's
disparate members come to life in different ways.
As
the stranger
works his way out of his post-traumatic amnesia, truths are revealed
that
challenge and change lives in Laurel Falls. Lynda
McDaniel
continues to evolve the characters that become caught up in affairs
beyond
their roots and experiences. The special blend of mystery with evolving
interpersonal relationships and growth that affects not just
individuals but
the makeup of the community creates a realistic backdrop cemented by
the local
dialect and concerns of a disparate group of neighbors.
What runs deeper than the
kindness that determines Abit's
choices and actions? Possibly friendship, which is "kindness dressed in
diamonds."
The lyrical portraits of
ordinary people who become
caught up in dilemmas beyond their experience and ability to navigate
makes for
a gripping mystery that operates on different levels to bring a
community to
life.
That's the hallmark of this
series in general, but is
especially evident in Up the Creek,
which is satisfyingly evocative and compelling.
Libraries looking for
mysteries that, more than most,
reflect a solid sense of place and culture will relish this latest
book, which
may be used as a stand-alone read but is best absorbed in conjunction
with the
other mysteries as a fine example of community-building at its best.
Return to Index
The Washington Prophecy
Robert Rapoza
Independently Published
978-1732391284
$4.99
https://geni.us/WashProphMidWest
The
Washington
Prophecy is recommended for thriller readers who enjoy
history and
political tension. This audience won't expect a professional
archaeologist to
become involved in a political murder mystery, but when Nick
Randall is
called upon to help, it's evident that a docent's murder has far more
to do
with the past, which reaches out to dictate present-day events.
This connection is
emphasized in a prologue that opens in
1777 Pennsylvania, where a a troubled General Washington has an
encounter with
spirits which causes him to predict an American victory. This sets the
stage
for the intrigue introduced in Chapter One, set in present-day
Virginia, where
gunmen are accosting a docent who pleads for his life, to no avail.
A missing book causes two
deaths. In Chapter Three,
Professor Nick Randall is tapped to become involved, pulled from his
review of
a student's thesis paper by a general who taps him for help.
Nick has little interest in
embarking on another
life-threatening adventure, but duty calls when a break-in and murder
at Mt.
Vernon proves to be entwined with the history of George Washington and
an
artifact written by Washington which contains prophecies about the
future.
Intrigued on an intellectual
and scholarly level, Nick
becomes involved over his head as the search for a missing book turns
into a
search for the truth about prophecies and their power.
From forensic investigations
of DNA and the meaning of symbols
that move between book and device to the legacy of the relationship
between
George Washington and the elder Ben Franklin, issues of loyalties past
and
present emerge, along with a touch of possible romance which adds depth
to the
high-octane adventure.
As shock waves of revelation
are matched by political and
physical fireballs, Nick comes to realize that much more is at stake
than who
gets their hands on an ancient relic.
Robert Rapoza creates a
delicate balance between mystery,
political history, and present-day conundrums. His attention to
exploring
social issues, special interests, and psychological detail creates a
compelling
atmosphere of tension that evolves on different levels as Nick employs
his
expertise to reveal the truth.
While the novel is directed
to thriller readers, who will
find every escapade engrossing and replete with many unexpected twists
and
turns, historical mystery enthusiasts will also find plenty to attract
them in
a story which holds delightful revelations that most won't see coming.
That's why The
Washington Prophecy is initially recommended for thriller
audiences and
libraries catering to them, but goes the extra mile in adding the
historical
depth and detail that make it accessible and exciting to historical
mystery fans,
as well.
Return to Index
Accountable
Religious Polygamists
Anoop Chandola
Independently
Published
979-8807734808
$5.60 Paper/$1.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Accountable-Religious-Polygamists-Comedy-Polygamy/dp/B09YQ55LSL
Accountable
Religious Polygamists: A Comedy of Polygamy is a literary
story of American
investigative journalist Arnold, who goes to India to explore and
expose the
practice of Hindu polygamy and its undercurrents of abuse and violence.
As he journeys through
Indian culture, society, and
circles where polygamy is buffeted by not only abusers but those who
defy their
power, the story becomes one of religious and social irony and satire
as
Arnold, polygamous family member Vajraang,
and his wife Chandni join him in an exposé that will ultimately
test their own beliefs and connections.
Under another hand, this
story could have taken a
predictable route of social analysis, but Anoop
Chandola injects cultural revelations, religious insights, and
varied issues such as animal rights into the inspection of polygamist
culture
and lifestyles.
This gives
added
value by expanding the subject and dimension of the story into
unexpected
realms that are both complex and quite accessible, even to those with a
mediocre familiarity with either Indian society or polygamy.
As
an
investigative journalist, Arnold is not only used to controversy, but
thrives
on its presence. However, as he investigates Buddhism, international
political
influences and scenarios, and the miracles and realities of yogis and
leaders
of all ilk, he becomes mired in a set of observations that move beyond
simple
explanations into more complicated realms of the mind and heart.
From
science to
discrimination against the untouchables in Indian society to Hindu
tradition
and perceptions of polygamy, Chandola provides a multifaceted story
that
traverses so many topics, it might at first seem to prove a complex
read.
Chandola's
ability to
cement all these topics within the perceptions of Arnold as he
navigates not
just unfamiliar realms, but his own expectations and investigative
prowess in
uncovering underlying truths, makes for a series of revelations nicely
steeped
in social, religious, philosophical, and psychological studies in
contrasts.
Hoaxes and
delusions,
atheists and true believers, and wry tongue-in-cheek irony ("Sanjaya shows that an investigative
journalist's intelligence is higher than God's intelligence.")
are the
highlights of a literary story especially highly recommended for
students of
Indian culture and social inspection.
Its
hard-hitting
stories weave an interconnected series of events and revelations that
should
ideally serve as discussion points for literature groups strong in
Indian
social observations and comic representations of life.
Return to Index
All Strings
Attached
Joseph Colicchio
Cedarwood Publishing
9781667820552
$14.99 Paper/$6.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/All-Strings-Attached-Joseph-Colicchio/dp/1667820559
Contemporary
fiction
collections strong in coming-of-age stories and treks involving
siblings who
are on different trajectories to exploring their roles and revised
places in
America will find All Strings Attached
just the ticket for a warm, buoyant, rich read of growth and summer
transformations.
Tommy is
seventeen
and is beginning an internship at a continuing care facility.
Twenty-two-year-old Alex, in contrast, embarks on a physical journey
across
America that moves from Weehawken, New Jersey to lead him to an
unexpected
place: Utah.
Joseph
Colicchio adds
social, political, and medical inspections to his story, explaining
terms such
as dysphasia alongside the mental and physical challenges each brother
experiences in very different ways.
It's hard to
imagine
a greater contrast in experience than that of "geezerville" versus
the open road, yet Colicchio's ability to contrast similar outcomes
from very different
influences makes for a multifaceted story replete in growth and
revelations
that link the brothers, however distant, in unexpected ways.
Life's
journeys
aren't linear, but involve a good deal of adjustment, change, and
forward-and-backwards movement.
As Colicchio
takes
readers on a rollicking ride through life, one might anticipate some of
these
progressions, but the ways in which they evolve and are linked by the
brothers'
backgrounds makes for an especially thought-provoking read.
At once a
coming-of-age story about different generations facing new life
challenges, and
a story of pursuing happiness and meaning in life, All
Strings Attached is ultimately about letting go, moving
ahead,
and coming back to new connections made possible because of the process
of
leaving behind everything that's valuable and familiar.
Libraries
looking for
road trip and coming of age sagas cemented by the changing psyches of
two
brothers who make very different choices will find this work of
contemporary
literature inviting and thought-provoking.
Return to Index
Another
Butterfly
Howchi Kilburn
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-337-0
$17.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Another Butterfly follows the spiritual and metaphysical journey of
four friends (Wu,
Daphne, Atsa and Aiyana) as they traverse northern New Mexico's rural
back
roads, canyons, and mountains on a road that leads them to family and
self-discoveries.
It's
a novel
steeped in a dharma-like probe of self and reality, following these
four guides
and pilgrims into a milieu headed by spiritual leader and medicine
woman
Grandmother Xochitl, whose teachings on ancient traditions lights the
way to
new realizations.
Readers
who
choose this story from an interest in metaphysical landscapes,
mysticism, and
the ideals of living in better harmony with the world will find a
wonderfully
multifaceted tale in Another Butterfly. It layers
different realities as
the friends move into a dual existence on different planes in a
community that
represents hope and new possibilities for connections to self, each
other, and
the planet.
Their
unique
creation experiment has its roots in the Goddess and past initiation
rites.
They come to recognize new abilities, perspectives, and potentials as
they
grasp that the wisdom of the universe holds powerful connections to an
ancient
process that transcends their physical lives.
From
inspections
(and criticism) of the major religions of the world to self-analysis
and
spiritual questions that lead each character to step into their powers
and the
possibility of a revised life, readers will appreciate a story that
outlines a
journey conducted on many different levels.
Think
a blend of
Carlos Castaneda with the flavor of Siddhartha in
this road trip of
discovery. Obviously, such a journey requires of its reader an openness
to
idealism, metaphysical influences, and social and spiritual examination.
Just
as
obviously, such a multifaceted presentation deserves a place in any
library
strong in new age, literary, metaphysical, or spiritual fiction as well
as
works of philosophical enlightenment.
Another Butterfly shouldn't repose on a fiction or metaphysical
shelf, but ideally will
be chosen for discussion groups where Castaneda and other sages,
prophets, and
philosophers have produced thought-provoking, gripping works.
Return to Index
Birthright
Jeanette Baker
Top
Reads Publishing, LLC
978-1970107296
$16.99 Paper/$4.99 Kindle
www.topreadspublishing.com
Birthright's
historical romance story opens in San Juan Capistrano, California,
where Claire
faces moving on from heartache. Thank goodness her mother is dead and
won't
know of her pain. Thank goodness her story continues, explaining the
source of
her alienation and frustration, because it's a compelling saga of birth
mothers, decisions gone awry, and their impact generations later.
As events
move
between Ireland and the U.S., readers receive cultural history and
observation
that creates a disparate backdrop for the two main characters. Against
this scenario,
decisions play out that hold consequences far beyond good intentions
gone awry.
Norah's
Irish world
is captured in the first person, and her own family connections and
relationships explored to provide a solid foundation for understanding
the choices
she makes for her own child: "We
were never close, my mother and me, not for any particular reason I can
remember, we just didn’t get on."
Claire's
determination to find answers fifty years after events have separated
mother
and daughter and led to building very different lives creates ripples
and
exposes long-held secrets that also change and challenge Norah in
unexpected
ways.
Especially
intriguing
are the community connections and heritage Jeanette Baker explores as
the two
reconnect, then part again. The knowledge and history surrounding their
relationship becomes more than one of typical mothers and daughters,
probing
heritage and culture in a way that creates a complex and interesting,
unexpected probe.
From a
Catholic
priest's dilemma to the reasons why a mother doesn't welcome the
opportunity of
reunion, Baker presents a multifaceted story that rings with
authenticity and
revelation: “The woman, my birth mother,
is a cold woman. I can’t believe I’m related to her. After nearly fifty
years,
she’s more concerned about what people would think and who it would
hurt,
primarily my birth father, than she is about what she did to me. I
mentioned
that she could have answered my letters. She told me she hoped I would
just go
away.”
While the
family inspection
will interest any reader looking for an evocative and thought-provoking
story
of connections both cemented and torn by cultural influence and
expectation,
those who hold a special interest in birth parents and adult adoptive
children
who seek the truth will find Birthright
especially evocative.
Does an
adult have
the right to know why they were given up, as children? Claire's
investigation
and dogged persistence leads to more questions and, ultimately, answers
which
will prove fodder for book club and adoptive families alike.
Birthright will find a welcome place in
any library strong in
stories of mother/daughter relationships, Irish culture, and the
special
conundrums faced by adult children who seek answers to the decisions
their
birth parents made.
Return to Index
Bones
Audrey Taylor
Gonzalez
Stube Books
979-8-9858314-0-5
$16.95 Paper/$4.99 Kindle
https://audreytaylorgonzalez.com
Bones is a love story set in a surreal
land where magical realism
intersects with social issues of prejudice and racism. It moves from
the Deep
South to Africa as Missy meets a tribal chief who tasks her with
carrying her
friend and mentor Old Thomas's bones back to Africa, to be buried in a
particular place. Tanganyika calls her and educates her about more than
America
as Missy encounters spiritual and social concepts beyond her experience.
Raised by
African
American servants in the Deep South, Missy discovers the foundations of
a
history and culture that moves far beyond the U.S. as her task of
devotion
becomes one of discovery and new revelations about different realities
and
possibilities.
Audrey
Taylor
Gonzalez's story and descriptions come from a seasoned hand that
includes some
of her own personal familiarity with Africa. She lived on a coffee
plantation
in a remote area of then-Tanganyika when she fell in love and married
into
another world. Her experience lends to vivid, realistic descriptions
that set Bones more than a step
above other
novels that profile African roots.
Her imagery
is vivid,
as well as her capture of the storytelling traditions and mysticism
that Missy
encounters: “Beechos and dog wafers grew
on the lolololo tree. Dog wafers Old
Thomas picked and dried and used for his church
communions. Beechos were
little red buds that grew on the tree trunk that we could scrape off at
certain
times of the year. They gave a punch to barbecue cooking that only the
Bozo
sisters and I were allowed to experience. When old Miss Lula stirred in
the
beechos, it caused me to lift up off the floor and float through the
air, and I
could do somersaults and all sorts of flips and flops through space. We
had to
be careful no one saw this.”
As Missy is
tasked
with ultimately giving up Old Thomas's bones, she steps into a new
world that holds
possibilities she once could never have imagined. When Missy's initial
task
expands and she assumes an active role in this new land, readers are
treated to
a series of social, political, cultural, and psychological insights
that create
a powerful saga as Missy finds new purposes in life: “It
is a blessing because you are here and you care about them.”
Bones is a novel highly recommended not
just for libraries strong
in African-American heritage and magical realism, but for book
discussion
groups that might choose this above others for its wide-ranging and
astute
observations of racism, upheaval, and personal choice.
Its vivid
story is
hard to put down and impossible to neatly categorize. Just call it an
exceptional read that should appeal to a wide audience.
Return to Index
Breath and
Mercy
Mark Anthony Powers
Hawksbill Press
978-1-7370329-2-2
$16.99 Paper/$6.99 Kindle
www.hawksbillpress.com
In 1983 in
the novel Breath and Mercy, Phineas
Mann is on
course to become a successful physician in New Orleans after years of
medical
school training.
His momentum
is
stymied by two life-altering events: the rise of AIDS and Hurricane
Jezebel,
both of which introduce challenges to his career on different levels.
Either of
these events could sink him.
Mark Anthony
Powers first
told Mann's story in A Swarm in May, which covered some of his
dilemmas in choosing
patient treatments; but this prequel sets the stage for that book by
returning to the past to cover his influences and the evolution of his
dedication to healthcare.
The story
traces his
move from Boston, contrasting cultural milieus and Dr. Mann's personal
life
with the professional challenges he faces on a daily basis as he
grapples with
cases needing miracles and those which hold little hope for successful
treatment.
As an
ethical
challenge emerges to test Dr. Mann's training and convictions, Powers
creates a
compelling story.
Breath and Mercy is about rescue and
redemption processes that
challenge this good doctor and his readers alike with thought-provoking
passages following medical processes and accompanying ethical dilemmas.
The medical
community's
activities and sketches of life-saving and life-altering experiences
permeate a
story that is both captivating and educational.
What kind of
supportive care should be given to those who are dying?
As legal
processes blend
into personal predicaments, Powers crafts a tale that ventures into
questions
of murder and survival tactics as Dr. Mann faces many career-changing
moments
and epiphanies.
Readers seeking a
compelling story solidly rooted in both medical procedures and
accompanying
moral and ethical concerns will find Breath
and Mercy a vivid tale.
Return to Index
Daria's
Secrets
Jeff Ingber
Atmosphere Press
978-1639883417
$17.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Daria's Secrets takes place sixty years after the Holocaust. Even
now, Daria Abramson suffers from
ongoing trauma
and memories of the Lodz ghetto and her relationship with its overseer
Chaim
Rumkowski. Her choice of therapy to help her resolve this past anguish
results
in a journey that exposes her secrets, shame, and the ongoing impact of
her
life as Daria's Secrets unfolds.
Readers
of
Holocaust fiction will find many of the themes of recovery familiar,
but with a
special overlay of life inspection that affects relationships and
perceptions
of past and current family of different generations.
This
focus adds
an extra dimension of complexity to the question of Holocaust
experiences, atrocities,
and recovery, creating a story that is multifaceted in its contemporary
environment and past life experience and analysis.
Many
psychological insights on the roots of shame, survival instincts, moral
and
ethical behaviors, and adaptation are included as the dialogue between
Daria
and her therapist unfolds: "...remember our discussion of how
memories
may unintentionally be false to enable us to move forward, however
weighted
down by them we are. Those who have been sexually abused are
particularly prone
to this problem because of the shame it engenders.”
“I don’t think I would have felt shame. Sex was
bartered by many for food. A slice of bread, even though it tasted like
sawdust, would have brought offers for favors. When you’re famished…”
“That’s right. But rationalizing the reason likely
wouldn’t have prevented the shame.”
“It is God who should be ashamed!” I spit out in a
guttural tone. “Not me.”
“Fair enough. But perhaps you felt ashamed in the
sense of feeling unworthy of being loved?”
These
dialogues,
insights, and their impact form the crux of a powerful story that
weaves
history past and present to consider the long-ranging impact of the
Holocaust
on present-day and future generations alike.
Daria's
newfound
realizations about relationships and life includes many discussion
points for
book clubs addressing not only Holocaust history and issues, but for
those
discussing survival costs and PTSD: “But I know one other
thing, which I
learned at an early age. You can lose what’s most precious to you. You
can lose
it in an instant.”
Daria's
willingness to traverse previously verboten areas of the heart and mind
in
order to finally resolve her long-term traumas makes for an evocative
story. It
will especially intrigue and delight readers who enjoy solid
psychological
self-inspections with "the settled past and uncertain future
colliding
in the now."
Libraries
strong
in literary, psychologically-forceful Holocaust stories should place Daria's
Secrets high on reading lists of emotionally powerful
survivor accounts.
Its strong family interconnections and powerful assessments of past and
present
events make for a compelling read.
Return to Index
Dawn Light
Phil Bowie
Proud Eagle
979-8886808421
$4.95
Kindle/$14.95 print
Website: www.philbowie.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09Y3HK723
Readers of seafaring
nautical adventures replete with
vivid action and crime story intrigue will find that Dawn
Light holds an unexpected ability to weave land and sea
together in a satisfyingly gripping manner that incorporates both.
This intersection of
environments holds many
opportunities for changing action and scenarios, giving readers
numerous
boat-oriented backdrops and insights as the politics and confrontations
of the
criminal investigation heats up.
Phil Bowie is adept at
contrasting not just these
scenarios, but the changing motivations, influences, and encounters of Irish Special Forces
vet-turned-boat-captain Denton Stedman. He takes on the dual charge of
a newly
deceased vet friend's rebellious teen son and a new nautical transport
job,
only to find that the Dawn Light holds unexpected cargo and emotional
baggage
alike.
Readers
won't expect
the Senegalese druids, business competition, or changing scenarios from
the
Bahamas to Massachusetts which are part of this story, but the
wide-ranging
settings and host of characters who interact on different levels are
just one
example of the satisfyingly multifaceted approach of a story that
eschews an
ordinary linear progression.
As complex
lives,
relationships, and motivations evolve in a myriad circle of characters,
readers
will especially appreciate Bowie's attention to identifying these
changing
perspectives, building strong connections that keep readers from
becoming lost
in these constantly-changing backdrops.
The result
is a vivid
adventure that holds many satisfying twists and turns. Dawn
Light is not recommended for readers who look for
straightforward yarns with a predictable progression, but is exemplary
reading
for those who appreciate changing environments, characters,
relationships, and
cross-purposes.
The
well-rounded,
well-written nautical yarn of a different, contemporary ilk than the
usual
seafaring adventure is especially strong in the modern juxtaposition of
intrigue and adventure in Dawn Light.
It's a satisfyingly complex and riveting story that tempers its
fast-paced action
with thought-provoking emotional and human conundrums that keep readers
enthralled to the end, and is highly recommended reading for libraries
looking
for an action story a cut above the ordinary.
Return to Index
Eli's
Redemption
Paul Attaway
Linksland
Publishing
978-1-7354016-8-3
$9.49 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Elis-Redemption-broken-dreams-chances-ebook/dp/B09Y3HZZMB
“I don’t have a
mother or a father. I killed my father
yesterday and my mother died years ago.”
Eli's Redemption is a novel that continues the family saga begun in
Blood in the Low
Country, which introduced the Atkins family and their
evolution in 1970s
Charleston, South Carolina. Because it picks up at the climax point
where its
predecessor ended, it is especially recommended for readers of the
first book,
who will appreciate the next piece of the family legacy provided here.
The
main focus
is not Monty Atkins, but Eli
Atkins, who has fled to the Bahamas after betrayal and who lives in
paradise in
isolation, having adopted a new identity in an effort to leave his past
behind.
The story
opens with
a shocking revelation, new promise, escape, and Eli's question of
whether a
lauded mother is someone who never should have survived.
The puzzle
of this
opening and the wellsprings of Eli's fierce anger are woven into
Chapter 2,
which takes a journey into the past to set the stage for these
present-day
events.
By then, readers are
captivated. And they will keep on being thoroughly absorbed, because Paul Attaway
excels in crafting a family drama that reaches through years,
generations, and
other countries to divide, and then draw the dynasty back together.
Ultimately,
the
secret identity Eli cultivates turns on him in an unexpected manner and
threatens what little joy he has built by burning the foundations of
family
relationships.
His
newfound
golfing prowess also threatens to expose him in other ways, as love and
intrigue vie for control of his destiny and life.
Christian
readers who look for reflections and insights that embrace both
spiritual
components and the trappings of a thriller and family probe will find
all these
elements and more in a story that focuses on a big gamble and the
obstacles it
poses.
Monty,
Walker
and Eli haven't separated for life. They are destined to meet again.
But the
circumstances which dictated their choices and withdrawal have changed,
and the
absence has served up the possibility of a healing process during
separation that
portends new connections.
Readers
receive
a story that operates on different levels. Christian readers will
appreciate
its many spiritual reflections on rage, redemption, and revenge: “Monty,
give your soul and conscience a break. You’re worried because you’re
drawing
some joy or satisfaction from the idea that that awful man is suffering
in
Hell? Don’t. And don’t fret over whether it’s Christian or not. It’s
human, as
are you. The Lord knows we’re human. That’s why his Son did all the
heavy
lifting for us. You don’t have to think about that man, that
psychopath,
anymore. His fate is in the Lord’s hands, and the Lord is more than up
to the
task.”
Thriller
readers
will find the tension perfectly honed as the mystery plays out.
Those
who look
for emotion-driven encounters and reflections will be especially
pleased at the
psychological depths Attaway probes as Eli reconsiders his life and
feelings.
Readers
who
enjoy stories that reach from and reflect the American South as they
survey
redemption and rejuvenation will find Eli's Redemption
joins a powerful
series, It's especially recommended for prior readers of Blood
in the Low
Country, who will appreciate not just Eli's story, but the
family's
evolution and growth.
The
unexpected
twists and moments of realization in Eli's Redemption
are exquisite.
Return to Index
The End Of The War
Jeff Hartman
Independently Published
9798799834524
$16.95
Paper/$5.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/End-War-Jeff-Hartman/dp/B09RM8WGWN
The
End Of The War
is a family-centered look at the lasting impact of America's
involvement in
Vietnam that reexamines a domestic conflict that caused lasting
estrangement
between Jason Hamilton's two older brothers.
It's a conflict Jason never
fully understood, but its
impact has been evident in a rift that never healed.
Long after the war (and the
'60s) is over, a funeral
offers grounds for reunion ... if the family can overcome the past to
confront
difficult truths.
As Jason's life in the
Chicago suburbs is revealed,
readers receive a vivid story that captures not just the past milieu of
the
'60s in America, but also its influence on modern lives, choices, and
perspectives.
Jeff Hartman's story
captures the illusions and realities
of the times in a look back that adds analytical perspective from the
wisdom of
hindsight, tempered by a brother's consideration of what proves to be
important
about values and decisions of the past: "How
many young men, despite everything they knew and all the evidence to
the
contrary, entered war with a similar delusion? That there was a good
way to
die. That it only happened to someone else. That there was some sort of
divine
logic at work. What kind of twisted hormonal logic convinced young men
to go to
war in the first place? Remind me again: Why did we fight in Vietnam?"
So many unanswered
questions, cemented by changing social
issues, public policies, and family interactions, permeate the story
that one
might think these diverse subjects too wide-ranging for a single
account.
However, Hartman's ability to take a generation's ideals and decisions
and
present them in light of a modern-day reconsideration and analysis
creates a
vivid sense of the times and a memorable portrait of a family torn
asunder by
political and social tides of change.
As extraordinary photos and
revelations affect a
present-day momentous decision, the vibrant story discusses not just
the end of
the war, but the beginning of new possibilities.
Rich in fiery confrontations
and sad alienations of heart
and mind, The End Of The War is
ultimately about the end of family disengagements and the beginning of
new
connections. The key processes involved in this reconciliation create a
story
that will hold value not only for fiction readers interested in stories
of the
'60s, but also for those pursuing insights into family relationships,
who want
a better understanding not only of how they come apart, but how they
might
eventually come back together.
Libraries strong in fiction
about the '60s in general, as
well as family conflicts and survival, will find The
End Of The War an important story of confronting hard truths,
forgiveness, and moving forward.
Return to Index
Giant of the Valley
Harry Groome
The Connelly
Press
978-1-7341309-0-4
$16.00
www.harrygroome.com
Giant of the Valley contains two
interconnected novellas, Giant of the Valley
and The Witness, and opens with a
prologue
that harkens back to a particular day in 1993, when everything changes.
"Big Louis"
McCutchen lost the love of his life one
beautiful snowy night. It's an event that leads him to eschew his
upward
trajectory as the CEO of a big company and bring his daughters to a
remote
retreat in the Adirondacks.
Years pass, and his
now-adult daughters worry about the
isolated life he's made for himself, distant from community connections
and
relationships.
"It’s simply a fact of life that as we age, we
change and must
accept it and learn how to deal with it.” But, Big Louis has
never been good
at learning to deal with life. Instead, he's run away from it. Now that
he's
living by himself at age seventy-eight, his daughters worry that his
strength
is degenerating into confusion and isolation in a dangerous way.
Harry Groome
takes
the time to craft the personalities, motivations, and experiences of a
family
changed by a tragedy. He begins with Big Louis, but expands the family
relationships, connections, and trials beyond a singular event, moving
into the
community with a changing series of challenges that include cancer,
memory
loss, mental and physical health changes, and discussions about revised
connections and purposes that affect all the characters.
As a host of
characters swirl around Big Louis and come to realize how they fail,
succeed, and
are part of the Adirondack community, readers journey through an
environment
replete with questions, fears, and changing relationships.
The Witness opens with the 1992 war in
Bosnia, and a pivotal day in
the life of Jusuf Kurtovic, whose decision to buy bread one morning
changes
everything.
Like Big
Louis, Jusuf
becomes caught in a whirlwind of change that questions his beliefs,
survival
tactics, and relationships.
Under the
onslaught
of war, is Bosnia even his country any longer? He doesn't find its
current
milieu and landmarks familiar, and his family may be better off without
them.
Also like
Big Louis,
Jusuf stands at an intersection between family relationships and
wellbeing. He
asks the kinds of questions that reconsider and redefine life purpose: “What
a waste. What another senseless waste. How does a young man like you
make sense
of all this?”
As he makes
the
difficult choice to send his girls to America, far from conflict, Jusuf
begins
to realize that he may pay for his stubbornness and outlook on life in
different ways.
Both The Witness and Giant
of the Valley feature men who are forced to re-consider their
lives and choices in the face of adversity.
War and
peace affect
Jusuf's life as heavily as social change and health challenges Big
Louis's
world. Both face challenges in evolving friendships and family
interactions
that lead them on different paths than they'd envisioned for the
futures.
Groome's
ability to
create and develop two seemingly disparate lives and backgrounds,
linking them
under one cover for reads that are thought-provokingly reflective of
self,
community, and family, makes for a fine study in contrasts. Giant
of the Valley is highly recommended for literature libraries
catering to
readers interested in contemporary life-changing scenarios and
characters who
are in the position of making unprecedented choices about their roles
and
futures.
Giant of the Valley also deserves book
club attention as a
discussion point about changing lives and evolutionary courses that
don't quite
go as planned.
Return to Index
The
Glovemaker’s
War
Katherine Williams
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-352-3
$15.00
www.atmospherepress.com
The Glovemaker’s War
is a World War II story that
opens in 1943, when bilingual Eve Harrison is tapped to work with the
French
Resistance as a secret courier, disguised as a Parisian glovemaker
embedded in
her uncle's glovemaking factory.
Charged with uncovering and
delivering key information
about the other side, Eve takes daring risks that ultimately result in
her
partner's death and the discovery of the Resistance's operations by the
enemy.
Further complicating
political matters of intrigue is the
romance which has unexpectedly involved her with Luc, whom she
apparently has
also killed as her efforts go awry.
Pregnant, heartbroken, and
alone, she returns to England
a broken woman trying to pick up the pieces of a life replete with the
guilt
and loss she will carry forever.
Now in her nineties, the
past reaches out to touch the present
as her granddaughter takes up the reins of her grandmother's tragedy
and tries
to find resolution and answers in events of the past.
Eve's story comes to life as
she interacts with ordinary
people whose lives have been irreparably changed by World War II, and
who
recognize in her efforts the courage and extraordinary conditions that
required
young women to step up: “My husband is
right. What you are doing is far too dangerous for young girls. May God
be with
you.”
From armed confrontations to
a world-changing devastation
that takes everyone she loves from her arms, Eve's participation in the
Resistance and the collapse of everything around her assumes a vividly
personal
atmosphere that historical fiction readers will find engrossing.
Katherine Williams is adept
at bringing the milieu of the
war and the efforts of young women to life.
The story moves between Eve
and Georgina's perspectives
with clearly titled chapters that leave no occasion to wonder about the
different generations whose lives are contrasted as each finds ways to
reconcile past tragedy with present-day events.
Williams takes the time to
explore the changed family
relationships that stem from these experiences as future generations
grow up
under the shadow of war: “I came here
thinking that perhaps you wanted to make amends before you die. All I’m
hearing
are ridiculous excuses. Whatever you ‘did’ during the war doesn’t make
any
differ-ence to me now. I’m so happy I left this place. I just have to
walk in
through that front door to feel like I’m back in the nightmare.”
The result is a vivid saga
that is highly recommended for
historical fiction libraries. Those that look for works solidly
centered in
different generations of women who did more than sit at home waiting
for
husbands to return, but were active participants in their world, will
be
particularly interested in the tale. That's because The
Glovemaker’s War
is not just a story of World War II. It's a survey of how, generations
later,
the effort to make amends (or excuses) lives on.
Return to Index
Holding Superman's Hand
Amy Katherine
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-343-1
$18.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Holding
Superman's
Hand: Under the Bar Lights is a study in romance and
contrasts. Seventeen-year-old
Amy is on the cusp of achieving all her dreams. Granted a scholarship
and juggling
college with her new job in a bar, romance is not on her mind when
bouncer
Matthew Abernathy enters her world.
At first Amy felt distaste
for Matthew's rigid ideas of
the world and his concept of right and wrong, but he's starting to grow
on her.
That growth will change not only her trajectory, but lead her to
reassess her
values and goals in an environment filled with change.
Matt makes even ordinary
life fun, injecting his
observations with a quirky and wry sense of humor that invites Amy to
open up
in new ways.
But, is this really romance?
What place does Matt hold in
her life, heart, and future?
Amy Katherine crafts a
realistic, thoroughly engrossing
story of new life and new adults as readers follow Amy through the
challenge of
trying to navigate adulthood: "He
seemed to have a code of some sort, and when I knew more about him, I
might be
able to break all his secrets easily."
Katherine is especially
adept at portraying the logic,
emotional conflicts, warning signals and compelling draw of a
relationship: "Boys are such problem solvers.
It was
kind of endearing. Sadly, at this point, knowing all the weird primal
courting
rituals associated with humans in a bar, she had likely broken it
herself just
to talk to him. How strange we all are as human beings, I thought to
myself."
This maturity process, even
more than the blossoming
romance, takes center stage as readers absorb the basics of Amy's
changing
worldview and the dance that evolves between herself, Matt, and the
opportunities
around them.
Readers of coming-of-age
novels who look for this special
blend of romantic development and personal growth will find Holding Superman's
Hand a satisfying story that tracks these changing
perspectives in an
intimate, heartfelt manner.
The process by which Amy
develops, admits, and confronts
her feelings and adult milieus is compelling, leads in unexpected
directions,
and results in a satisfying story especially recommended for libraries
seeking
positive, evolutionary discussions about college-age romance and
expectations
of life.
Return to Index
I
Buried Paul
Bruce Ferber
The Story Plant
978-1-61188-328-2
$16.95 Paper/$7.99 Kindle
www.TheStoryPlant.com
I Buried
Paul is a humorous novel reflecting on life. It
follows the evolution of a Beatles
tribute band called Help and
the conundrums it faces in trying to recreate a magical and
large-than-life
musical entity.
At
once a
coming-of-age story, a musical tribute, and a work of irony and social
inspection, I
Buried Paul is replete in musical notes as it follows Jimmy Kozlowski, who plays Paul McCartney in
the band that strives to match the success and talents of its
inspiration.
Jimmy,
like many
musicians, also leads a double life. His day gig that pays the bills is
a far
cry from the mimicry his tribute band cultivates. He works in a nursing
home,
writes his own music (which has little to do with the Beatles), and
dreams of
success separate from his band.
He
knows his
dream can come true ... his older brother is an example: "Even
though
his band didn’t write original material and might, on occasion, play a
bar
catty-corner to a wheat field, I was convinced that my brother had
reached the
Promised Land. He had figured out a way to not be a lawyer or a CPA and
make a
living doing the thing he loved most—which was the thing I loved most."
As he moves towards his goals, then seemingly away
from them, Jimmy
reflects on the emotional costs of his choices: "I
spend
the better part of the drive rehashing how I’m responsible for my own
loneliness, having closed myself off from relationships to create the
life I
thought I wanted."
Bruce Ferber's inspections and the underlying wry
wit that often accompanies
them makes for a riveting story of bonding exercises and inspections of
genius
and insanity as Jimmy reconsiders his life trajectory, its promises,
and its
costs.
These inspections often juxtapose the wit with the
serious in a manner
that is inviting and surprising: "In
this sacred,
arguably sinful, moment in time, she is neither married nor confused,
and I am
not poor or adrift. We are two imperfect souls who have soldiered
through long,
barren stretches, brought together by the need to treasure, and be
treasured. I will go to my grave cherishing the night the
Siren
from Cebu brought me a replacement toothbrush."
A coming-of-age story flavored with music
Readers who choose I Buried Paul
for its musical and
psychological inspections won't be disappointed. The depth of
self-inspection,
romp through nursing homes and music venues alike, and a romance in
which
everything changes makes for a vivid story that's hard to put down,
highly
recommended for those who like their stories steeped in discovery and
growth.
Return to Index
Inhaled
Nathalie Guilbeault
Firenze Books
Publishing
978-1-7772810-6-9
$20.99
www.nathalieguilbeault.com
Like too
many women,
Isabelle finds her seemingly solid marriage falling apart: "I knew I was not the only woman who had had the
safety of her
world destroyed, the structure of her life disjointed, the foundation
of her
union blasted. Countless stories depicting evidence of marital
crumbling are
readily available to the insecure voyeur like me, seeking reassurance
in futile
comparisons. I wanted to share my story, not as a premise for revenge,
but
rather, to unburden myself from the encompassing guilt that had woven
its way
into my stomach."
But, unlike
many,
this event brings with it a new foray into sexual freedom that begins
with an
online encounter and blossoms into something much more than liberation
attempts
as Isabelle's ventures introduce her to a dangerous world filled with
traps as
well as new possibilities.
These (and
her
adventure) will especially attract women who look for contemporary
backgrounds,
novels about sexual enlightenment, and insights about relationships
that move
into the territory of a rollicking good thriller read.
As
Isabelle's life
and family become entangled with the special interests of a sociopathic
personality, she, too, evolves a special brand of survival skills that
pits her
naivety and growing savvy with an attempt to not just survive her
choices, but
grow from them.
The lies,
illusions,
and hard realities that surround her evolving relationship with
Nicaraguan man
Patrick are related in a series of encounters designed to keep readers
thoroughly involved.
Nathalie Guilbeault cultivates a special sense
of interconnected lives and lessons as she follows Isabelle's world and
the
choices she makes to eschew the input of friends and maintain the new
status
quo with her new romantic interest: "Her opinion of Patrick
was tainted
by her own experiences. She had been married to a Latino for
twenty-five years.
She despised everything about Patrick, angered by the hurt he had put
me
through. Had I exposed him to her infamous sarcasm and sharp
inquisitions,
Patrick surely would have left me. I could not take that chance. I
needed my
relationship with him to last a few more months. I
needed it to
stretch out my own agony. I still needed to get my fix."
From secret liaisons to withdrawal symptoms
that force Isabelle to adopt a different tempo that causes her to lose
herself
in another ("My heart had diluted itself. It had lost its
center."),
women who tend to immerse themselves in relationships will find much
familiar
ground covered in a riveting story of growth and realization.
Guilbeault's choice of the first person
allows readers to delve into Isabelle's self-analysis and realization
with an
intimacy and savvy that is revealing in an up close and personal
manner: "We
both had let our respective voids collide, enabled by a strong desire
to quench
the loneliness, whatever the price."
This is not
your
typical story of a relationship gone awry, but follows a woman
struggling to
find herself in the midst of a compelling new passion that both awakens
her
sexuality and dampens her innate feelings of self and self-preservation.
Libraries
strong in
women's fiction will find Inhaled a
fine addition, while discussion groups about sex, romance, and
relationships
will find in Isabelle's experiences much fodder for contemplation and
lively
debates.
Return to Index
In Love With
Spring,
Volume 1
Robin Stratton
Big Table Publishing
978-1-945917-72-1
$17.99
www.bigtablepublishing.com
In Love With Spring bills itself as a "A pop culture retelling of Louisa May Alcott’s
classic coming of
age story of four sisters learning about life and love in the decade of
AIDS,
MTV, big hair, and big dreams." Volume 1 introduces this
milieu by
presenting four sisters whose contemporary lives and interpersonal
relationships mirror the close relationship of Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy
March in Little Women.
It's
refreshing to
see a contemporary slant on the Little
Women theme. This approach will prove especially appealing
and enlightening
to those who have read (or re-read) the classic recently, who will more
readily
identify the connections between In Love
With Spring and Alcott's story.
Alcott used
her real
family interactions as a foundation for her story. In a similar vein, In Love With Spring creates a realistic,
contemporary setting that weaves the trials and culture of the times
with four
sisters' evolving relationship.
Robin
Stratton
captures this modern feel from the start ("Dad
left the same day John Lennon was assassinated, and for the rest of her
life,
Jules would connect the two events in her mind, where they lived as a
single
moment that changed everything; made life harsh, sad, lonely."),
creating interplays between these modern little women whose backdrops
are not
books and sewing, but television sets: "Now,
looking up from her book, a ponderous biography of Dostoyevsky, she
announced
irritably to her three sisters, “I can’t concentrate with the TV so
loud.”
Mandy blew on newly-polished nails, and then admired them from a
distance, her
fingers fanned like the plumage of a peacock. “Turn it off if you want.”
"No, wait,” Allie said. It was an old episode of The
Brady Bunch, the one where Bobby
kisses a neighborhood girl, only to discover that she may have infected
him
with the mumps, jeopardizing plans for a swell Brady camping trip.
“Let’s see
if they get to go.”
As the story
evolves,
modern sources of angst and division affect not only their lives, but
their
unity as sisters. Each faces school problems, friendship challenges,
and sexual
awakening that create a very different environment from Little
Women's staid social representations...but remains familiar
in its inspections of how these sisters evolve together and ultimately
support
one another.
As romance
and desire
change their lives and relationships with one another, Jules struggles
with an
eye-opening relationship with Michael, whom she both desires and
recognizes as
being ultimately the wrong choice for her.
"Michael is all about Michael." As Jules
comes to realize
the difference between physical attraction and mental fitness and each
sister
ventures into the quagmire of relationships, sex, and love, readers
receive a
fine contemporary examination of a season which poses many
transformations for
each sister.
Some
surprises unfold
in the course of their journey, from a bounce-back reaction to an
unconventional but empowering experience by Mandy to Allie's evolving
friendship with the alluring but very different Mr. Guillen. Stratton
follows
the ebbs and tides of each girl's growth and romantic lessons.
The result
is a fond
tribute to Little Women's
atmosphere,
but with decidedly modern twists that place four sisters in different
challenging roles as they move away from home and reach into the world
with
revised goals for themselves.
It's a
milieu in
which even Mom gets an unexpected second chance at love.
In Love With Spring's sassy, classy forms
of sexual and social
relationship-building will appeal to romance readers, fans of the
classic Little Women, and women who
just enjoy
romps through love and life changes.
Return to Index
In Love With
Spring,
Volume 2
Robin Stratton
Big Table Publishing
978-1-945917-73-8
$17.99
www.bigtablepublishing.com
Ideally,
readers will
already be well versed in the concepts and approaches of the first
volume of In Love With Spring
before choosing this
second volume, which sets the stage for an expansion of experiences by
the four
sisters, who embark on new lives further changed by love.
Mandy April
is now
Mandy Jenkins, having married her love Tim. She has left her mother and
sisters
to enter her new life as a wife.
Jules,
Lisbeth, and
Allie may have been left behind, but they are not far from Mandy's
heart as she
revels in new experiences and thinks about the different ways her
choices and
observations will affect her sisters.
Robin
Stratton's
character reflects on the ideals of her vision of marriage: "The fact that she was married
fascinated her. Like lots of girls in the mid-1980s, being a wife and
mother
was her whole game plan; to be happy and laugh all the time and never
fight
with him (except maybe an adorable squabble here and there about
forgetting to
put the cap back on the toothpaste or leaving the toilet seat up.)
She’d known
kids whose parents were divorced, and in fact, her own father had
walked out
almost five years ago, but that would not be her and Tim." The
irony
of her choice and position comes back to haunt her in different ways as
events
unfold.
Each sister
faces
different options as they mature, but love and relationships aren't the
only
focus, here. Lisbeth decides not to go to college, Mandy faces the
realities of
a choice which may not be as ideal as she'd thought, and Allie becomes
mixed up
in bad company and faces the police in a drug incident that is not her
fault.
The sisters'
lives
entwine even over distance and differing ages and experiences, much in
the
manner that Alcott's classic provided as her characters evolved aged.
Stratton is
adept at
keeping the sisters' relationship at the center of their individual
changes.
This succeeds in presenting a series of dilemmas that change their
connections
to one another as well as to the beaus each has chosen.
From
heartbreak to
success and achievement, Stratton creates a warm story that flows
between
family affairs and the broader world at large. This second volume
represents a
story that is not only a worthy follow-up to the first, but in keeping
with the
evolutionary process of young women entering the world beyond their
immediate
family.
Women's
fiction
readers, particularly those who enjoyed the closeness of Alcott's
little women,
will find their contemporary parallels just as inviting.
Return to Index
Inseparable
David Kruh
DX Varos Publishing
978-1-955065-40-5
$18.95 (paperback) $4.99 (ebook)
https://www.amazon.com/Inseparable-Alcatraz-Adventure-David-Kruh-ebook/dp/B09X3GKQTS
"San Francisco was the cruelest trick ever
played on the prisoners of Alcatraz Island."
That's
because
prisoners are close enough to San Francisco to get a daily sense of the
freedoms they are missing, but are isolated on an island which holds no
hope of
a different life.
Inseparable takes the story of three men
who escaped from Alcatraz
prison in June 1962 and adds the fictional character of Tommy, a boy in
search
of adventure who helps them escape from an island prison that is
supposed to
represent the ultimate confinement security system.
Tommy
O’Conner is a
loner who dreams of leading an adventurous life. He never imagined that
such
adventure could land in his lap in the form of becoming involved in a
famous
prison break and escape to South America, but when he stumbles upon
escapees
John and Clarence Anglin, the brothers lure him with both connections
and the
exciting life that has thus far eluded him.
Tommy looks
for
acceptance, encouragement, and new possibilities as he helps John and
Clarence.
This gives him the feel of siblings he never had: "Maybe
this was what it was like to have a brother (Not your
run-of-the-mill brother, but a brother who had escaped from prison only
24
hours ago.)"
Ironically,
it's this
search for connection which ultimately leads Tommy on a path not just
into
adventure and newfound connections, but danger.
David Kruh
provides
an intriguing character in a precocious young boy who falls into the
strange
situation of helping escaped prisoners elude captivity.
Tommy's
encounters
help him grow in different ways, providing new forms of understanding
about
himself and his place in life that lead him full circle when he returns
to
ordinary life.
“What did you do on your summer vacation?”
Can he ever
claim to
having played a role in helping two Alcatraz escapees make their way to
freedom?
This
fictional story
firmly rests on the foundations of real history, but takes unexpected
diversions in exploring a nautical mystery centered on Alcatraz Island
events.
Kruh explores some of the actual people who had roles before, during,
and after
the escape, but adds the fictional overlay of a boy who finds himself
pulled
into not just adventure, but the bond of two brothers sworn to never
separate.
Even as
Alcatraz
fails to fulfill its promise of being the ultimate prison, so Tommy
grows into
his own sense of self and the adventure that pulls him in different
directions of
growth. The changes experienced by prisoners, free citizens, and
investigators
alike create a compelling story that holds many thought-provoking
moments of
discovery and action.
Library
collections
strong in historical fiction will find Inseparable
more than just a story of Alcatraz or prison escape. It's a coming of
age tale
that tests the bonds of human connection and creates conundrums and
growth
opportunities for characters and readers alike, and is highly
recommended for
historical novel enthusiasts.
Return to Index
On Bur Oak
Ridge
Jenny Knipfer
Independently
Published
978-1-7379575-0-8
$2.99 Kindle/$15.95 Paper
Website: https://jennyknipfer.com/on-bur-oak-ridge/
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Bur-Oak-Ridge-Sheltering-Trees-ebook/dp/B0B2KXB19F
On Bur Oak Ridge is Christian historical
fiction at its finest and
opens in 1919 with Molly's perspective about her life: "We’re
better at looking back than forward. Since such is the
case, our eyes would be better placed at the base of our heads. I see
nothing
when I gaze into the future. It appears like the purple haze of the
distant
hills—without definition, lacking firm, clean, and distinctive lines.
In a
word—smudged."
It's Book 3
of the
Sheltering Trees series, but requires no prior familiarity with the
different
characters and perspectives in the prior books in order for newcomers
to
quickly bond to the dilemma of a deformed young woman who has sheltered
in an
asylum while nurturing her recovery and grief, but now is ready to
re-enter the
world (albeit much changed).
From
inheritances,
grief, and murder to Molly's marriage to Jacob and a secret that could
affect
their future, Jenny Knipfer spins a fine story of interconnected lives,
complicated relationships, and the kinds of struggles that hold their
origins
in the asylum.
Knipfer
doesn't limit
her story to Molly's perspective, but considers the impact of different
connections, from Samuel to Mabel and others who introduce friendship
and
romance into Molly's life.
As Molly and
Samuel
begin a dangerous dance on an emotional level that leads each to make
hard
choices, Knipfer provides readers with a set of moral and ethical
conundrums
that blend past into present to test the heart while leading Molly to
new
possibilities on Bur Oak Ridge.
Knipfer is
especially
skilled at injecting the forces of past choices and how they evolve as
Jacob
Lund faces his own demons and Molly comes to understand what it really
means to
be married to someone she really doesn't know.
The tension,
characterization,
and heartfelt changes are realistically depicted and contribute to a
story that
both enhances the series and stands alone as a poignant saga of one
woman's
determination to make her world a better place.
Firmly
rooted in a
sense of place and moral dilemmas that send each character on a
separate
journey, On Bur Oak Ridge is a fine
choice for readers interested in women's fiction, historical novels,
and
heartfelt journeys that tug at the emotions.
Return to Index
Pilgrim
Maya
Bela
Breslau & Stephen Billias
Odeon
Press
978-1-7335750-4-1
$16.00
www.Odeonpress.com
The
novel Pilgrim Maya is a study in
loss, grief, recovery, and journeys through a personal pilgrimage. It
will
appeal to any reader on the path to redefining life's purpose after
tragedy or
change.
Protagonist
Maya Marinovich has experienced the worst loss a woman can face: the
double
loss of her husband and baby in a freak car accident that leaves her
wounded
and wondering about her life without them.
Her
journey from Boston to San Francisco in search of answers about how to
live the
rest of her years leads her into traditional and non-traditional
circles alike
as she experiments with dips into a cult, a job as an assistant for a
co-housing development of artists, and an investigation of Buddhism.
Powered
by her need to find answers about life's meaning and the new
relationships
sparked by unfamiliar territory in which Maya is adrift in many
different ways,
the story takes many unexpected twists and turns. Maya ultimately makes
some
discoveries about the accident which once more change and challenge her
world.
Readers
who enjoy novels of self-discovery, healing, growth, and rebirth will
feel
especially drawn to Pilgrim Maya's
attention to describing these details. Bela Breslau and Stephen Billias
are a
husband-and-wife writing team whose special brand of psychological
self-inspection and cultural description drive a powerful survey.
They
specialize in succinct comments throughout as different characters
interact,
emphasizing the process of growth and discovery even in the giving and
receipt
of a simple gift between friends: “I’m
just unwrapping the book you gave me. Oh, it’s a blank. Like me. How
lovely.
Thank you.”
“Yes, it’s empty, but you can fill it up.
Just like you.”
Relationships
unfold like origami, presenting different layers of realization as Maya
ventures into new circles with a savvy sense of what is possible and
what is
not, only to experience unexpected events that defy her ability to
neatly categorize
or predict the future.
The
result is a pilgrimage of the heart and mind that leads Maya and her
readers on
a voyage of discovery—a story that's hard to put down.
Pilgrim Maya is recommended for a broad
audience of readers, from those interested in novels of growth and
adventure to
discussion groups. These will focus on Maya's progressive journeys as
touch
points for not just recovery from grief or loss, but opportunities for
transcendence and new purpose.
Return to Index
A Reconstructed Life
A.M. Overett
978-1643733296
$12.95
Lighthouse Publishing
A
Reconstructed Life: Overett, A M: 9781643733296: Amazon.com: Books
In A
Reconstructed
Life, Confederate soldier Lawrence Ambrose is back from a
stint in Hell
that leads him to question all kinds of things, from life's purpose to
his
decisions, objectives, and perspectives. He's been thoroughly defeated
both as
a member of an army trying to preserve slavery in the South and as an
individual stripped of his humanity, forced to perform inhumane acts of
horror
for the sake of fighting.
It seems like his journey is
at an end; but in reality,
it's only beginning. Not only does he have to navigate a new South, but
Lawrence must re-examine his heart and soul in the process.
This leads him to the church
as a wellspring of kindness
and reconnection, a process in which his father, the Reverend Ambrose,
guides
him with a new vision of spiritual and emotional growth.
The division still affecting
everything is evident even
in everyday speech and references: "Welcome
home my boy. I want to thank you for your service to your country."
Lawrence began to think of which country he was referring to. The
North, the
South, the Union, the Confederacy?
"We hope
things will get back to normal soon, especially for our boys who fought
so
hard. But now we need to think about the future. Let's forget about the
past
and move forward, eh?"
His decision to become a
preacher like his father leads
him into discussion circles that review slavery, love, and
relationships
against the light of Biblical teachings.
Readers might anticipate
another story of Southern
reconstruction and rejuvenation, but the spiritual component and
Christian message
embedded in this post-Civil War reenactment is the guiding light and
strength
to a story that emphasizes how spiritual concerns become embedded in
social
transformation.
A.M. Overett focuses on a
life challenged, changed, and
slowly rebuilt on new interpretations of familiar principles in the
face of
political and social change. His emphasis draws important connections
between
spiritual and social awakening, presenting the shifting milieu of the
South
after the Civil War under a different spiritual spotlight. This
approach
captures a different feel to the times and the struggles of postwar
survivors
to adapt to a new world not just outside their circles, but in their
hearts.
The connections between
spiritual, emotional, and
community growth are wonderfully done as Lawrence faces a new day in a
new
world. His struggles and goals are mirrored in the South's rapidly
changing
values and society as a whole, as well.
While collections strong in
Civil War fiction will be the
logical audience for A Reconstructed
Life, its message and lessons on the process of change are
even more
important for Christian and spiritual readers. This audience will want
to make
this story a key highlight in discussion groups about how revelations
and
transformations actually take place, especially under conditions of
adversity,
estrangement, and inhumanity.
It's a discussion that
modern-day readers need more than
ever as atrocities throughout the world are revealed, and faith tested
and
renewed in new ways.
Return to Index
Skinny
Dipping in a Dirty
Pond
Lis Anna-Langston
Mapleton Press
9781793081322
$14.99 Paper/$8.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Skinny-Dipping-Dirty-Pond-Anna-Langston/dp/1957730005
"In my family, as far back as I can tell, there was
no such thing
as communication, only secrets."
Skinny Dipping in a Dirty Pond gets
readers up to speed with an
overview of a quirky family structure in a prologue that captures
different
family member oddities, then moves into a vivid story narrated by
Cotton Ann,
who was "named after a honeybee because I’m sweet with a sting.”
The tale
begins with
a precocious three-year-old's venture into the world of library books.
It moves
forward into her life to embrace her entry into the world beyond family.
Cotton's
pursuit of
magical powers that will solve her problems with Uncle Therman leads
her in new
directions as she grows and comes to grips with her family's unique
heritage: "The cancer that killed him ate
away at
something inside of my family until it mutated and grew into a victim,
a
paranoid schizophrenic, and a psychotic. A man I never knew was the
thread that
wove those misfits together, and when he was gone, those seams finally
ripped
under pressure."
Left with
the results
of this event, Cotton develops a sassy, precocious outlook as she
candidly and
critically examines life and its myths and illusions. Her observations
are
often packed with wry humor that indicates she's a force that operates
beyond
her years: "Santa had always been a
little shady. I mean, he came and went without a sound, supposedly
thumping on
the roof in a sleigh driven by cheerful reindeer."
Lis
Anna-Langston
creates an engaging character, surrounds her by family members who
don't quite
fit the image of a supportive and staid group, then follows the girl's
growth
as she tackles unusual problems with imagination and whimsy. One
example is the
child's plot, at age seven, to make an entire house vanish.
Her feisty
character's first-person observations and strength flavor the story
line with
humor and unexpected twists and turns that keep readers engaged and
laughing.
The
undercurrent of
serious life inspections that pepper this story are just one reason why
Skinny Dipping in a Dirty Pond holds
a
special appeal. It will delight novel readers seeking extraordinary
characters
and stories of growth, adversity, and creative problem-solving.
Skinny Dipping in a Dirty Pond is highly
recommended for fiction
readers looking for coming-of-age and family narratives that are
anything but
ordinary and predictable. Its lively tone packs a punch.
Return to Index
Sleeping
with
Cancer
Phillip Riley
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-325-7
$16.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Sleeping with Cancer is a novel about trauma, end of life, and the
changes that come not
just from cancer, but from violence. Readers might anticipate a story
that
revolves around terminal illness alone, but Sleeping with
Cancer
actually opens with a dual murder that Emily witnesses in her apartment.
The
story begins
with a heart-stopping bang and never quits: "He knew he was
dying. He
seemed to know I couldn’t or wouldn’t help. His eyes blinked and with
each
blink I imagined thousands of images of his life going through his
mind’s
screen. Blink, blink, blink. The bag of money never moved. This was my
apartment now with bloody bodies on the floor, and I could only stand
still."
Philip
Riley
brings the saga to life with descriptions that are evocative and fresh:
"The
sergeant said little and his face betrayed nothing. His soft brown eyes
lay
like dormant mice in their holes."
Emily
develops a
new romantic interest, only to find it and her perceptions about life
challenged by cancer. As she and Brian embark on a strange journey that
embraces spiritual, psychological, and relationship growth, Emily's
progression
is vividly documented: "...the past is never in the past,”
said Brian.
He was really pulling into them embracing this seeming insanity. Guess
I would
too if I had cancer...We sat in silence with the wisdom of the ancient
Greeks,
imagining the tragedies that elegantly reflected life in the first
democracies
of the earth. How did the Divine Right of Kings proceed afterward, as
if
pulling their wisdom into a hypnotic sleep? Now we are back in the
world with
Jesus and his impossible story, or Islam, or Buddhism that claims to
not be a
religion but acts like one. I think Brian knew this better than I did."
Readers
who
enter Emily's world anticipating a murder mystery or romance will find
something very different as Emily and Brian undertake a metaphysical
and
personal exploration of the meaning and progression of their lives.
Riley's
attention to details that mark pivot points in this journey and his
ability to
document the progression of changed lives in the face of cancer, that
move
through everyday and extraordinary realms alike, creates a moving tale.
Plenty
of novels
survey life's meaning, living with cancer, or the evolutionary process
of
couples faced with game-changing circumstances. Few adopt the focus on
flexibility and discovery that is evident in Sleeping with
Cancer's
portrait of unexpected moments and the hilarious ironies of life.
Libraries
strong
in contemporary fiction that assail the subject of cancer in a
refreshingly
unique manner will appreciate Emily's evolving perspective as she
offers her
"fuck you" to cancer with a special message of perseverance, love,
discovery and, ultimately, letting go.
Return to Index
Three Sister Stories
Robin Stratton
Big Table Publishing Company
978-1-945917-74-5
$15.00
www.bigtablepublishing.com
Three Sister Stories completes a trilogy of
interconnected books especially
recommended for prior fans who found their stories amazing, in Robin
Stratton's
other books.
It's been over two years,
now, but Mandy still isn't over
her grief. As school principal, she's charged with helping youngsters
while
navigating a broken world both personally and at large: "Mandy’s
husband Tim always says he wishes she would pay more attention to
“what’s going
on in the world,” and she kind of wishes she would too, but the news is
always
so ugly, and when the day is over, she just wants to play her 1980s
music on
Spotify."
From struggles with her
adopted (now-adult) son Grayson,
who is moving back home for a while, to Constance's bombshell news that
further
changes their family, Mandy finds that her son's conundrum calls forth
memories
of their own experiences as parents.
he four chapters to "The
Dragon Inside" probe
Mandy's process of coming to terms not only with her son's life, but
her own.
"Love Letter Island," the
second story,
introduces second sister Allie's changed life, which goes in a
direction
seemingly opposite of Mandy's circle of connections. Allie
lacks love in her life even as she becomes financially
well-off.
She reflects on this gaping omission in her world: "She pours
herself a glass of wine and considers inviting her nephew Grayson, but
he’s
busy with his new business, a traveling art gallery, and she thinks
it’s best
that he stick with that. That’s when it hits her how alone she is in
this
world. She used to say that Simon was her whole life, but wow, she sees
it’s true,
he was her whole life, and without him…not living, just surviving each
day.
Some days just barely; some days she calculates how many years she has
to
endure before she can gracefully die of old age."
A journey undertaken without
her familiar support systems
leads Allie to new realizations, as well as fresh opportunities she
never could
have envisioned for herself. As she moves on with Denny, family ties
remain at
the heart of her trajectory, even stretched as they become.
"The Book Deal" completes
the saga with an
inspection of Jules, contrasting her world nicely with the
newly-well-off
Allie. Julies is struggling financially and emotionally, her small book
business undercut by Covid's impact and her changing relationship with
wife
Danni: "Things aren’t
good between them. After more than 30 years together, it seems all they
do is
squabble. Where they used to tease and laugh and fall into each other’s
arms,
now there’s sarcasm and disapproval and distance. Not so much on Jules’
part,
she feels, but Danni always seems to be annoyed. Contemptuous even,
sometimes."
Danni and Jules, too have
experienced financial changes;
but where Jules doesn't see that as a threat, Danni chafes at the
revised
circumstances and their impact.
Both are counting on a new
book deal to save their
business and marriage; but when Milton's book is done, it comes with an
unwelcome surprise that challenges and changes their hopes and
dreams.
Robin Stratton does a fine
job of intersecting each
sister's evolving, ongoing connections within these three stories. Each
sister's family, relationships with the other sisters, and outward
trajectory
in life comes to life. Each harbors hope for a different future, and
each faces
these possibilities and outcomes with a brave heart.
Three Sister Stories adds to a trilogy, but the door
of their expanding worlds and
relationships is left ajar for possibly more revelations. Whether this
happens
or not, it's an enlightening, expansive inspection of family life and
change
that will delight women who look for thought-provoking stories about
family
connections and changing times.
Collections
strong in contemporary women's literature and
family life will find this novel a powerful, attractive read.
Return to Index
Whiskers
Abroad
Carrie Carter
Bayou City Press
978-1-951-331-09-2
$9.99
Kindle
www.carriecarterwrites.com
Whiskers
Abroad:
Ashi and Audrey's Adventures in Japan is travel fiction at
its best. It's a
delightfully whimsical novelette that focuses on Audrey and her cat
Ashi, who
journey together after Audrey wins the chance to write about a trip to
Japan.
The story comes steeped in
the atmosphere and culture of
Japan, and this blends with a philosophical, reflective eye as Audrey
reviews
her influences and experiences: "...sometimes
the universe won’t let go of an idea. Maybe the stars and planets were
right.
It was time to let myself dream again and to try to make those dreams
happen."
Its chronological
arrangement pairs dates with
astrological quotes on Virgo's progression and the events that lead
Audrey to
Japan. Even before her journey, "Japan
was seeping into my subconscious."
The "you are here" feel is
heightened by color
snapshots throughout which accompany evocative observations of this
newcomer's experience
with Japan: "I gaped at everything:
the fake food breakfast set in the window of the restaurant, the people
bustling about, the stores in something called the Takanawa Wing. It’s
all so
new and different."
Readers are in for a
delightful armchair journey as they
follow Audrey and Ashi's many adventures in urban and rural areas, made
all the
more vivid not just by single snapshots, but by colorful illustrations
on every
page that capture the Japanese culture and experience.
More so than most
travelogues, this story of a woman and
her cat will appeal to anyone with a basic interest in Japan, cats, or
travel.
Its lively tone and engrossing story is made all the more vivid for the
observations that also come from the cat's viewpoint: "How can
someone
feel sad about leaving a place they just visited? It’s not like I had
been
living there the past few years, snacking at the fish market and
hanging out
with my buddy cats at the park."
The result
is a capricious, delightful, revealing,
educational, exceptional armchair read that deserves a place in any
library
interested in kitties and journeys in general or Japanese culture in
particular.
Whiskers Abroad
is simply a delight, offering respite and reflections that bring
readers into
Japan from different perspectives, capturing a writer's journey through
new
foods, a different culture, and a cat's eyes. It's very highly
recommended for
its ability to reach beyond the usual travelogue audiences to immerse
all ages
in its fun adventure.
Return to Index
Amygdala
Blue
Paul Lomax
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-331-8
$16.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Amygdala Blue surveys religion, racism, and relationships in a
three-part discussion
that takes place under these three subject headers, inviting nonfiction
readers
to partake of a series of autobiographical and social inspections that
weave
together personal, political, and philosophical ideas.
While
this might
sound like a mixed bag of subjects and approaches, Paul Lomax
cultivates a
lovely poetic, intellectual tone to his discussions which draws readers
on
different levels: "Into the congregation of a stolid self, I
quietly
retreated. Into the crest of an unusual moment, I was taken with tears
for my
tithes, confusion my only offering. I wasn’t quite sure what any of
this was,
how it had ever happened, what any of it actually meant. For the veil
had
lifted and behind her fractured window, I had discovered how my mother
really
felt about herself. To see her miserably broken from within made me
want to
question God. But I couldn’t do such a thing as that. Did He know me?
Surely He
knew of mother’s needs, surely He saw her cries? All of this ran over
my mind
like roadkill."
Amygdala Blue is one of those books that defy pat
categorization. While marketing
planners and library shelvers might find this a challenge, it is also
the
strength of discussions which take seemingly disparate subjects and
link them
together with an overlay of emotional connection that makes for
compelling
reading.
Remaining
true
to the mercurial nature of his discussion, which mirrors life events
like an
internet of interconnectivity, Paul Lomax is as free with his forms as
he is
with his discussions. Poetry and prose are chosen to represent these
insights
depending on the nature of his inspiration, as in "Tickets, Please,"
a free verse inspection whose three-column form may be read either up
and down
or sideways for equally impressive results: "Perilous
foreskin/ is a
trellis of self/to guide the circumcision/of pulls and tugs/through/
birthing
pitch/unforgiving grind..."
Readers
can also
expect a good degree of controversy in the relationships and
connections Lomax
forges and analyzes: "I wondered how it was that so many men
could be
so successful in their careers, yet at home with the little woman, via
the
power of the vagina, the reigns to his kingdom dramatically, ironically
shifts
hands. Could this very notion exist as a sub-punishment to our eviction
from
the Garden of Eden, not to mention the loss of our rib? Was this a part
of
God’s plan, penance for succumbing to the temptation of a delicious
bite,
uxoriously, for a heinous crime – the disobedience of His most
cherished
command – to forever thirst after and be completely blinded by a skirt,
lips
that speak a dangerously sweet elixir?"
These
discussions are delightful, thought-provoking, controversial, and
poetic.
Perhaps
"Serenity" captures and concludes it all: "Who doesn’t long
for high places?"
Literary
and
intellectual readers looking for a piece that defies quick reading and
pat
answers, but is replete in social, emotional, and philosophical
inspections
alike, will relish the multifaceted tone and approach Paul Lomax
cultivates in Amygdala
Blue. It's highly recommended for libraries catering to these
audiences
and, ideally, will be fodder for discussion groups in religious
thinking,
social inspection, or any combination of literary or philosophical
analysis.
Return to Index
Blue Zeus: Legend
of the Red Desert
Carol J. Walker
Living Images by Carol
Walker, LLC
978-0-578-35094-3
$49.95
http://www.WildHoofbeats.com
Blue
Zeus: Legend
of the Red Desert is not just the story of one wild horse,
but examines the
lives, plight, and natural history of America's wild horse population
as a
whole.
It's unusual to find a story
of horses, replete with
color photos throughout that bring horses and environment to life,
directed to
an adult audience. It's even rarer to find autobiography and political
inspection
woven into the natural history.
That Carol J. Walker
achieves these seemingly disparate
goals, educating all ages about the history and plight of the wild
horse
population she became intimately familiar with and involved in, is
testimony to
the strength of a story that is far more than "just another horse
book," but a valuable addition to environmental issues and natural
history
collections: "Blue Zeus is an
extraordinary horse and he deserved to have been left wild and free to
live out
his life with his family in the Red Desert of Wyoming. But all our wild
horses
deserve the same. They deserve our care and respect. They deserve to be
managed
in their homes with the least invasive and most researched methods
available.
We must speak out for them and create change to protect them. They are
valuable
in and of themselves and should not be a pawn for powerful political
interests.
Their wildness is a huge contribution to the soul of our nation and to
those
they touch with their wild spirits, their beauty and their freedom."
Walker's journey began in
2004, when she became
increasingly enamored of the colorful wild horses that populated the
back roads
and country of Wyoming.
Her explorations of this
region, its wild horses, and the
policies and perceptions that drive their management even in the
wilderness
provide sharp insights into their lives and key roles in the back
country.
It's uncommon to find a
photo-driven story that is
equally powerful in its visual image and prose, but Blue
Zeus accomplishes both as Walker captures the milieu of the
wild horse population and the allure and power of one particular
resident, Blue
Zeus, in particular.
As she follows these horses
and documents their daily
lives and habits, readers will enjoy a "you are here" feel as she
explains what her camera captures: "In
September, I saw the whole family walk across the road in front of me,
then
stop in a small depression out of the wind. Blue Zeus walked a little
bit away
from his family, turned so he could watch them, and tried to nap in
peace.
First, little Fire got too close and Blue Zeus chased him away with
ears
pinned. Then Nike came over and he pinned his ears at her, but she was
undeterred. Slowly the whole family came over, getting as close to him
as
possible and I could almost hear him sighing. I was laughing hard.
Grumpy Zeus
was adorable!"
This is especially
attractive because, again, most horse
books are directed to teen audiences alone. By adulthood, it is
presumed that
the majority of initially interested readers have moved on from the
subject.
But, many haven't. And even those who don't harbor a horse-centric
interest,
but enjoy natural history, will find the saga compelling.
Blue
Zeus: Legend
of the Red Desert recaptures this attraction, adding in
environmental issues
surrounding the daily lives and milieu of the wild horse for a special
(and
top) recommendation for all ages. It's worthy of library display for
its
gorgeous, candid wild horse images and its opportunities for discussing
the
value of preserving wilderness environments and wild ways.
Carol Walker
is
dedicated to educating people with her stunning photographs and
stories, and to
stopping wild horse roundups and removals from America’s public lands,
keeping
them wild and free. She more than supports her cause in a book that is
as
free-ranging and visually engrossing as the wild horses she loves.
Return to Index
A
Caregiver's Love
Story and Reference Guide
Nancie Wiseman
Attwater
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-328-8
$17.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Many books
have been
written about disability and life changes, but there's still room for
many more
on the subject of caregiving a loved one. A
Caregiver's Love Story and Reference Guide differs from most
in that it
fills its story with practical references that fellow caregivers can
use as
their own guide to resources and options.
Nancie
Wiseman
Attwater found herself caregiving her husband as he battled terminal
cancer. As
she moved from a partner to nursing a disabled charge, both her love
and her
special challenges emerge in chapters labeled by each crisis: kidney
stones,
heart issues, cognitive decline, and more.
The widely
varying
nature of these ongoing medical issues and the different caregiving
challenges
each posed makes for an especially astute examination to show that many
caregivers tackle not a singular condition, but a myriad of changing
health challenges.
Each chapter
includes
a subtitle emphasizing the lesson learned from the evolving conditions.
For
example: "Surgery and the Fall in the Hall" holds as its lesson and
subtitle:"You Never Know How Strong You Are Until it is Your Only
Choice."
As chapters
review
these lessons, injecting practical considerations into the emotional
and
physical trials that buffet husband and wife, they reveal the core of
the
caretaker's mandate—to respond in flexible, loving, and effective ways
to
changing events that seldom hold clear resolution.
When offered
the
option of a skilled nursing facility, the author refused and chose to
lovingly
care for her husband at home. Attwater's determination and perseverance
are at
the forefront of her efforts from the start: "My
hypervigilance kicked in, and my plan for taking care of Bill
was to try and think of what “might” happen before it happened. If I
stayed on
top of his needs, made sure he drank liquids and ate a little something
each
day, I knew he would get well."
From
anticipatory
grief and different stages of grieving to interacting with family,
medical
personnel, and making all kinds of decisions on the fly, Attwater
chronicles
the demanding life of a spouse-turned-caregiver, creating a powerful
saga that
many in this position will find more than familiar.
The lessons
she
learns and portrays during this long battle through ongoing ailments
represent
a portrait in resilience and positivity, and gives fellow caregivers a
blueprint for adaptation and powerful responses during all kinds of
health
issues.
Many books
have been
written about caregiving. Most are memoirs. A
Caregiver's Love Story and Reference Guide stands out from
the crowd with
its important life lessons and practical insights on navigating
healthcare,
family, and personal crises during this time.
It should be
in the
collections of any health and general-interest library—and, more
importantly—on
the reading lists of caregiver group members who will find its
experiences
familiar and its lessons important food for thought.
"Remember when your life
seems like it is
surrounded by suffering,
assess the situation, learn to live with it, and then embrace it."
Embrace this
book.
Its message is unique.
Return to Index
The
Duchess of Idaho
Meredith Allard
Copperfield Press
978-0-578-28534-4
$12.99
Paper/.99 Kindle
www.copperfieldpress.com
"Sometimes
we hold onto secrets for reasons the keeper doesn’t
entirely understand, truths we can’t yet face or truths that may spark
reactions we cannot bear. Some things are simply better left unsaid. At
least,
that’s what Grace Wentworth thought."
The Duchess of Idaho
blends many diverse
elements. It's a time
travel story, a paranormal experience, and a Western adventure, all in
one.
While this mix might seem disparate, Meredith Allard successfully winds
all
these elements into a novel that will attract readers beyond the usual
singular
genre boundaries.
Grace
Wentworth has
long known there was a family secret. She is part of this secret
without fully
comprehending its roots. This changes when a time travel encounter
sends her
into the past to 1850 Independence, Missouri, following a
wagon train into
the West while navigating her own knowledge of the times and what she
knows of
her family history.
Readers
should be prepared
for in-depth atmospheric
explorations that set the stage for Grace's story: "Married
women always wear aprons since it’s correct for a
housewife to do so, though here women and girls wear either full or
half aprons
to protect their clothing. Our hair is braided simply or pulled into a
bun.
It’s more Little House on the Prairie than
A Christmas Carol, where you
imagine the fine-looking Victorian women in dome-shaped skirts,
petticoats, and
crinolines in fashionable fabrics, their hair curled and braided to
labyrinthian perfection. Just as women and girls wear the same types of
clothing, so do men and boys. Men and boys wear overlarge, open-necked
cotton
shirts that give them room to move, loose trousers of buckskin, wool,
or
blue-jeans fabric, and most wear suspenders to keep those wide trousers
in
place. Men’s coats are made of wool or blue-jeans fabric as well. As
the
women’s faces are protected from the sun by bonnets, the men wear wide
hats of
straw or felt, their feet protected by simple leather boots with no
distinction
between the right and left foot. Women and girls also wear leather
boots."
While
some might consider
such passages of description
overly detailed, Meredith Allard is as interested in depicting the
times and
culture of the 1800s as she is exploring Grace's mystery and struggles
with the
past.
This
creates a full-flavored
history steeped in the
rugged environment of a harrowing journey, bringing Grace's perceptions
to life
as she navigates uncertain times and matters of the heart alike.
The
intrigue and mystery are
nicely developed against
this realistic backdrop, bringing readers into an atmosphere that both
challenges Grace and enlightens her about the past and its influences.
As
history, fantasy, and
romance entwine, readers who
become captivated by Grace's dilemmas and discoveries will find her
story hard
to put down, and believable in its premise and progression.
The
result is a tale that
ultimately brings Grace home to
confront her parents and the impact of a secret they'd expected to take
to
their graves.
The
Duchess of Idaho is a
thoroughly captivating time travel story of a different ilk. It
deserves a
place in any library collection strong in romance, history, fantasy, or
time
travel sagas.
Return to Index
Forgiveness
Almanack
Krys Call
Independently
Published
979-8508167004
$5.38 Paper
https://www.amazon.com/Forgiveness-Almanack-Mx-Krys-Call/dp/B09FC87J89
Forgiveness Almanack
tackles the daunting
subject of forgiveness
from historical, philosophical, cognitive
scientific and psychological levels, choosing examples
from historical
and social contexts in which the
tradition and culture of cultivating forgiveness are valued.
From this
description, readers might think the discussion will be weighty and
perhaps
challenging, but Krys Call creates a dialogue
that invites readers to absorb a large quantity of information without
the
requirement of a scholarly background.
This, and
its
unassuming size (a little over a hundreds pages), invites readers who
might not
ordinary pick up such a discourse, rewarding the effort with a
wide-ranging
treatise that moves from an examination
of the conscious and unconscious minds and current
NIH research into
cognitive functions to consider the foundations of
forgiveness in heart
and body alike: "Chantal's unconscious
mind has made economical use of an already existing condition in her
foot to
retrieve to consciousness a forgotten memory of forgiveness, that
memory
attached to a distinctive scent. Along with the recollection of her
foot
slipping and the family friend catching her and saying, 'I forgive you'
has
come to memory of the sweet and very purple scent of the friend's grape
bubble
gum...She now realizes that she has received her
kinesthetically-oriented
unconscious mind's answer to the question posed by analytically-geared
conscious mind, 'What is the scent of forgiveness?'"
Readers
might not
expect a synthesis of experience which draws powerful connections
between
theoretical and intellectual inspection and the very real incarnation
of
forgiveness in daily affairs. But Call is adept at juxtaposing
experience with
theory and reflection, and it is this special blend of intellectual and
emotional inspection that sets Forgiveness
Almanack apart from anything similar in philosophical,
psychological, or
historical literature.
Forgiveness Almanack
is highly
recommended for libraries strong in
contemporary philosophical and psychological inspection. They will find
its
special blend of neuroscientific research, historical inspections of
forgiveness, and traditional theories of psychology and popular culture
to be
noteworthy and inviting.
Return to Index
The Good
Parts
C.S. Hayward
C.J.S. Hayward
Publications
978-1088031131
$73.88
Hardcover/$59.99 Paper/$9.99 Kindle
https://c-s-hayward.com/
"Out
of all the works
you
have written, which ones would you most recommend to an Orthodox reader
now?"
The
Good Parts:
Hand-Picked Verbal Icons for Orthodox and Others is a study
in reading
recommendations for literary Orthodox scholars, hand-picking from the
numerous
works written by C.S. Hayward to provide a synthesis of the most
powerful passages
across a myriad of works. Hayward chose some one out of four works for
this
collection, but it still features around a thousand pages of material.
This
will prove both daunting and attractive to those who hold more than a
casual
interest in Orthodoxy in general and Hayward's works in particular.
Here are the
nutshells of wisdom that stem from the author's studies and experience,
presenting
his writings and reflections in a survey that is both personal and
scholarly: "...when I began to repent, I
wondered
if repenting would leave anything left in my writing. And after I had
let go of
that, I found that there was still something left to write...When we
are repenting,
or trying to, or trying not to, repentance is the ultimate terror. It
seems
unconditional surrender—and it is. But when we do repent, we realize,
"I
was holding on to a piece of Hell," and we realize that repentance is
also
a waking up, a coming to our senses, and a coming to joy."
The essays
tackle a
wide range of issues affecting Orthodoxy and religious studies, from
conflicts,
miscommunication, and misinterpretation of Biblical intention and the
Word of
God to reflections on modern conditions and pursuits that impact belief
systems: "You cannot kill
time," the saying goes, "without injuring eternity." At least
one breakdown of mobile users has said that they fall into three
groups:
"Urgent now," people who have some degree of emergency and need
directions,
advice, contingency plans, and the like, "Repeat now," people who are
monitoring information like weather or how their stocks are doing, and
"Bored now," people who are caught and have some time to kill, and
look for a diversion. "Bored now" use of cell phones is simply not
constructive spiritually; it offers a virtual escape for the here and
now God
has given us, and it is the exact opposite of the saying, "Your cell
[as a
monk] will teach you everything you need to know."
Readers
might find
these connections between social conditions, political beliefs, and
God's
intentions surprising, but that's one of the pleasures of The Good Parts—its ability to study not
just Orthodoxy of the past,
but Orthodoxy in action today.
Readers will
also be delighted
by the wide-ranging nature of these articles, from food choices and
health to
spiritual matters connecting modern choices with God's intention and
guidance.
Ponderings include reflections on science, diet and health, philosophy,
technology, and historical interpretation.
The
wide-ranging
subjects and approaches of these pieces lend not to methodical
chapter-by-chapter pursuits, but to skipping around to fully absorb the
subjects
that capture the mind and eye. This pursuit is reinforced by the
author's link,
at the end of each work, which returns to the table of contents. This
creates a
sense of random access akin to an Internet browser: instead of reading
each
piece in (alphabetical) order, people can move around and selectively
read what
they want, in any order.
Hayward has
read the
Bible in seven ancient, medieval, and modern languages. C.S. Lewis
formed him,
as a writer, but the student has moved beyond his influence and
surpassed his
muse in all the works Hayward has produced that rival his mentor and
inspiration.
The Good Parts
represents a powerful
synthesis of Hayward's life
work and writings. It should be considered a foundation guide not only
to his
many volumes of writing, but as a stand-alone read representing the
best of his
analyses.
Orthodoxy
students,
in particular, will appreciate the wide-ranging nature of these social,
theological, philosophical, and multifaceted inspections.
It should be
noted
that while paperback and hardcover are usually preferable for long-term
lending
and libraries, in this case, due to a brittle spine, readers should buy
this
title in Kindle, or view it on the web.
Return to Index
Inspired,
Not Retired
Dr. Burl Randolph, Jr., DM
Mywingman LLC
978-1087904665
$21.00
Paper/$5.99 Kindle
https://mywingmanllc.com/inspired%2C-not-retired
Inspired,
Not
Retired: Leadership Lessons from Father to Son is a powerful
memoir highly
recommended for military personnel and their families. It follows the
life and
story of Dr. Burl Randolph, Jr., who had anything but retirement on his
bucket
list when he faced it after thirty years in service, realizing he was
unlikely
to be promoted any further.
It
charts the important
leadership and life lessons
handed down from father to son. While this may sound similar to other
memoirs
about father/son relationships, Dr. Randolph Jr.'s story assumes a
special
importance because this kind of positivity and strength is typically
not
portrayed in African American family circles: "Documenting
the lessons of men like my father is so important
because of the assault on the fatherhood record of African American
males.
Rarely is a success story told about the relationship between African
American
males and their children, specifically with their sons. The world needs
positive stories about familial relationships, hope, and the promise
created by
great parenting, regardless of race or ethnicity."
The
life lessons his father
provided during his own stint
with retirement translated to important, life-changing realizations for
the
author as he navigated his military career and formed and achieved his
own
dreams, inevitably arriving at the same pivot point of challenge that
retirement posed to his own father.
Inspired,
Not
Retired is a memoir packed with lessons on leadership. It
charts the
experiences, opportunities, successes, and failures Dr. Randolph
absorbed on
his own trajectory, inspired by his relationship with and observations
of his
father.
Rarely
are the links between
life experience, family relationships,
and leadership values so strongly drawn as in this memoir: "Although I did not fully understand what he meant
at the time, I
understood one thing: He was going to fight back the cancer to live. It
did not
matter what we said, how we felt, or what we thought, he would follow
the
doctor’s recommendation for radiation treatments. We were glad that he
overruled our recommendation because the treatments were successful and
without
any significant side effects. This taught me that sometimes you must
fight
back, regardless of the circumstances, your feelings, your fears, or
the
feelings of others. I also learned that there is a method to
successfully
fighting back."
Inspired,
Not
Retired stands out from the crowd and, more so than most
memoirs, has the potential
to draw attention from seemingly disparate groups, from African
American
readers and families to military service people and business audiences
interested in absorbing foundation lessons of leadership.
Ideally,
Inspired,
Not Retired will be part of any library collection strong in
these areas,
and will be profiled as an example of strength in discussion groups
ranging
from African American sons and fathers to military leaders facing their
own
retirement from service, and what life leads to afterwards.
Return to Index
The Magical Librarian
of Tulsa, Oklahoma
Nancy Coiner
Independently
Published
979-8-9858008-0-7
$14.99 Print/$2.99 ebook
www.amazon.com
To
understand the
flavor and attraction of The Magical
Librarian of Tulsa, Oklahoma, think Harry Potter combined
with romance—an
intersection of magic and love not often crossed.
Here is a work of
art...the fine art of
mixing love and fantasy. It's a production which crosses genres to
offer both
audiences a taste of something different, and is an enchanting story of
mischief and mayhem which opens with a witch's spell-casting cleverness
at the
College of Magic.
Her hex on a book is
meant to disrupt, but
the problem is that a savvy magical librarian is on duty.
Nancy Coiner injects a
sense of wry humor
into the events to unfold a satisfying feeling of connection and comic
relief
as librarian narrator Kate LaFon enters into some of her greatest
challenges,
including representing her college ("President Nicholls’s
email had reminded
me that I should “work the room” as “a poster child for the academic
respectability of magic.” Sigh.").
Coiner's combination of
magic, humor, and
romance represent the perfect blend of action and strong
characterization to
create an unexpectedly delightful set of conundrums in a story that's
hard to
put down.
Kate's explorations
into rare books and
magical challenges that test her abilities also reflect her
professional
prowess and ability to enter the fray which emerges from the witch's
unleashing
of strange new possibilities (even for the magical world).
The tension is
delightfully tempered with
this humor and first-person reflections: "Ordinarily I would
have been
swooning over the wallpaper (a William Morris pattern with lilies and
acanthus
leaves), the furniture (Stickley, probably original to the house), and
the
enormous rugs (Frank Lloyd Wright patterns). I could have spent hours
inspecting the crystal chandeliers and the floor-to-ceiling portraits
in heavy
gilt frames. It was a house to die for. But it was not a house I wanted
to die
in, so I checked my magometer. Unfortunately, Edith’s whole house
blazed bright
purple on the little screen. The magometer couldn’t tell me the
location of any
magical traps or dangers."
From magical shields to
French thugs and a
collection of dragon photos which Kate is suddenly in the perfect
position to
acquire, readers embark on a romp that tests Kate's abilities to handle
the
unexpected—including falling in love with a professor poised to take
over her
beloved Rare Book Room.
The
Magical
Librarian of Tulsa, Oklahoma is
most decidedly a powerful romance. It will appeal to romance readers
who want
action and adventure to spice the developing relationship. But, it also
holds
the surprising ability to reach beyond the romance genre into the
hearts of
fantasy readers who enjoy magical stories of evolution and matters of
the
heart.
Its personality-driven
adventure is
engaging, delightful, and a noteworthy addition to both fantasy and
romance
literature; highly recommended for libraries looking for genre-bending
standouts.
Return to Index
Our
Lady of the
Artilects
Andrew Gillsmith
Mar Thoma
Publishing
ASIN:
B09Z7F81WD
$15.99 Paper/$3.99
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Our-Lady-Artilects-Andrew-Gillsmith-ebook/dp/B09Z7F81WD
Marry
paranormal
fiction with sci-fi cyberpunk influences and then frost the subject
with
metaphysical overtones for a sense of what Our Lady of the
Artilects
offers to those who take up the charge of choosing a read that defies
pat genre
categorization. It's a metaphysical tour de force spanning time, space,
consciousness and faith that proves hard to put down or easily define.
The
prologue
creates a compelling draw with a single line: "It couldn’t be a virus. Like all
artilects, Thierry was unhackable." Artilects are
next-generation androids. One would not think that they could become
possessed,
but one android commands the attention of the Catholic Church with just
such a
claim. And the race for understanding and control is on.
Andrew
Gillsmith
crafts a story trademarked with the unexpected, from twists and turns
of action
to psychological depth and surprises that evolve in human/artilect
interactions
and high technology's influence on everyday perceptions.
Add
international politics and intrigue into the mix and it's evident that,
under another
hand, such diverse topics and scenarios might have proved overwhelming.
But,
not here. One of Gillsmith's talents is to weave explanation so
seamlessly into
the story line that there is no confusion—and yet, no awkward, lengthy
explanations to wade through. This creates a dance between realities,
perceptions, and special interests as all the characters are caught up
in and
influenced by a centuries-old plot still capable of changing humanity
itself.
The
dialogue
between these forces is realistically portrayed and adds further
insights into
the characters and interactions of different strata of society and
politics
alike: “The
Emperor is a good man. And a capable one. I hope you can keep him
safe.” he
said. His condescension and presumed familiarity irritated her. “He is,
and I
can. And neither of us needs your approval or your well-wishes.” She walked back into the
mosque before he
could respond."
The process of transformation
could take a
thousand years to unfold.
And humanity can't afford the time.
The metaphysical components also
offer much
satisfying food for thought
as the story unfolds: "... the universe requires sacrifice. It
always
has, and it always will, because the universe is sacramental."
Our
Lady of the
Artilects may be read and enjoyed on several
levels: its spiritual,
psychological, political and social inspections draw readers into moral
and
ethical queries that are adventure-filled and thought-provoking.
Many topics are touched upon, from
issues of
climate change to the
unusual power of Father
Gabriel
Serafian (an exorcist who left his former life as a neuroscientist and
coder)
and futuristic artilects
that
experience a Marian Apparition that pulls the Church and China into a
dangerous
situation.
Libraries
strong in
sci-fi, thriller, and mystery intersections and stories that hold
strong,
futuristic religious and social inspections will find Our Lady of the Artilects impossible to
easily categorize and equally attractive for discussion group
recommendation.
Catholic
sci-fi
is relatively rare (its main recognized names are Walter
Miller and Gene Wolfe, which
inspired Gillsmith's production here, but Our
Lady of the Artilects hits its
mark in many different ways, promising broad appeal to a diverse
audience
coming from wide-ranging interest groups and perspectives.
Return to Index
Side Hustle
&
Flow
Cliff Beach
Black Spring Press/
Eyewear Publishing
9781915406002
$31.99
Website: sidehustleandflow.net
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1915406005/
Side
Hustle &
Flow: 10 Principles to Live and Lead a More Productive Life in Less
Time is
a study in self-help and personal transformation that comes from a
musician who
moved from an American Idol failure to success realizing his musical
visions.
It
combines his memoir with
insights into how to find
one's life purpose and achieve goals, elevating the story into more
than just a
chronicle of individual success alone.
In
this way, more than other
memoirs, it not only teaches
by example, but outlines the paths to success that sometimes elude
those who
would walk on the artistic side of life.
Artists well
know the struggle of juxtaposing a paying
day job with an artistic dream. Finding the creative resources to
pursue one's
dream while paying the bills is not an easy venture, and often proves
too
challenging for the artist to juggle. The result is too often a
"passionless
life."
Cliff Beach
honed an
approach that led him to find "...a
way to afford the lifestyle I desire while doing the passion projects
that I
love—that is, working a day gig and maintaining several side hustles.
The art of
locating,
managing, and employing these "side hustles" is one of the center
points of his memoir, which teaches fellow artists how to maintain
their
creative force while cultivating business success.
Beach is
much more
than a musician. He holds an impressive list of achievements, from
getting his
MBA and doing TEDX presentations to completing Toastmasters. All these
required
goal setting and perseverance. As he explains, many of these skills
were not
taught to him in school: "The reason
why I have been able to set out on new paths and achieve new desires is
because
I have learned and mastered the power of goal setting. Unfortunately,
this is
something that you will not learn in school. But goal setting can be
learned,
whether you teach it to yourself or ask for help from professional
coaches or
other resources. So many people I meet are not aiming for anything. If
you do
not take aim, then you are hoping and praying rather than planning and
attacking."
These
messages will
particularly resonate with audiences who feel they cannot achieve
because they
don't have the social or educational makeup that leads to success.
Beach's
story holds a message: anyone can succeed. It just takes
self-education,
self-determination, and a bit of luck and savvy about how the world
works and
one's place in it.
Many readers
think
that the connections afford to the privileged are what leads to
success, but
Beach shows here that many of the same strategies can be cultivated by
a
determined and clever perspective and observation of what elements help
others
advance: "For those of you not in
music, you must figure out who your Daptone is and who you need to
poach to
work with. Who is someone you admire who you can emulate? Who works for
them?
Once you start researching and poking around, you start to notice that
a lot of
businesses use the same people. In the beauty world, often the
manufacturers
for one big product work for their competitors. It was the same when I
was in
the fashion and shoe apparel industry. Even if you must start small and
work
your way up, you can start to know who it is you need to eventually
work with
and then start networking your way up."
The result
blends a
powerful memoir with important lessons on exactly how to pull oneself
up by
one's bootstraps. In providing the logic, methodology, and mindset of
this
approach, Beach offers an accessible, important series of lessons that
makes
his book a "must" for self-help, inspirational, or psychology
libraries alike.
Making this
book a
cornerstone of high school and new adult discussion groups about
pathways to
success would be its biggest win.
Return to Index
Sleepwalking
to
Armageddon
Helen Caldicott,
Editor
The New Press
9781620972465
$25.95
Hardcover/$17.95 Paper/$15.33 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Sleepwalking-Armageddon-Threat-Nuclear-Annihilation/dp/1620972468
Sleepwalking
to
Armageddon: The Threat of Nuclear Annihilation comes from a
Nobel Peace
Prize-winning doctor whose warning about the ongoing threat of nuclear
annihilation couldn't come at a better time.
Dr.
Caldicott has long been
sounding the antinuclear
alarm, but revisits various arguments now, as the Russian invasion of
Ukraine
raises new possibilities of nuclear responses and engagements.
A
host of contributors
provide articles on the subject,
from linguistics professor Noam Chomsky to Bruce Gagnon, coordinator of
the
Global Network Against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, and scholar
Lynn
Eden, a member of the Bulletin of the
Atomic Scientists's science and security board.
The
impressive credentials
of the contributors to this
essay collection are equaled only by the strength and diversity of
their
arguments as they assail the notion that nuclear deployments can be
logical, survivable
choices for humanity.
From
insights on escalation
and watch groups monitoring
political and military moves to what would happen if megaton warheads
detonated
over densely populated cities, the sum result of these writings is to
transmit
not just caution, but well-researched dread paired with contemporary
facts
about weaponry and strategy.
Written
by some of the
world's most authoritative
scientists, scholars, and policy-makers, the works in Sleepwalking
to Armageddon provide outstanding cautionary notes
based not on politics or theory, but real statistics and research.
Libraries
need
this book in their collections, while discussion groups about nuclear
war and
the notion of survivability should turn to its eye-opening and specific
commentary to fuel debates, discussions, and knowledge of the special
risks of
nuclear options in modern times.
Return to Index
Taming
Infection
Gregg Coodley
and David Sarasohn
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-318-9
$19.99 paperback / $9.99
ebook
www.atmospherepress.com
Taming
Infection:
The American Response to Illness
from Smallpox to Covid is a
wide-ranging history of pandemics in America that will enjoy newfound
interest
with the current pandemic struggle. This is not the first time the
subject has
been captured in a book, but what sets Taming Infection
apart from other
medical and social histories is its attention to the link between
health and
science findings and public policy-setting, which either embraces these
recommendations or resists the notion of sweeping social change.
It
uses examples
of the fifteen worst diseases to strike the United States as
touchstones for
discussing these connections, blending history with social and health
issues to
consider the evolution of American epidemics and their special
challenges to
public policy-makers.
Readers
with
little medical history background might be surprised to learn that
tuberculosis, malaria, yellow fever, and cholera were once endemic to
the
United States. Each sweeping threat introduced an unprecedented
challenge to
politicians and policy-makers who were in charge of regulating and
directing
public health responses.
Heavily
footnoted, with many quotes from source materials and first-hand
experiences of
the past, Taming Infection offers the opportunity
to reconsider the
policies and experiences of the past with a new eye to managing and
understanding present-day public response and health community efforts.
The
history
documented herein is surprisingly extensive, offering many references
readers
will find intriguing: "Vaccination was brought to the United
States by
Dr. Benjamin Waterhouse in 1800. In 1801 President Thomas Jefferson
vaccinated
his own family, neighbors, and some visiting Mohican Indians and
arranged to
import cowpox from England. Jefferson wrote Jenner, “Medicine has never
before
produced any single improvement of such utility. You have erased from
the
calendar of human afflictions one of its greatest.” Jefferson also
devised a
way to preserve the vaccine from heat by insulating it in water."
From
how
diseases spread, whether in civilian or military circles, to how
vaccinations
were developed, disseminated, and promoted, Taming Infection
is more
than a medical history. It offers many social inspections of how
treatments
were not just created, but promoted among various populaces.
This
dual
attention to social analysis will particularly intrigue students of
social
issues history and development: "Historian David Jones
observed, “One
dramatic aspect of epidemic response is the desire to assign
responsibility,
From Jews in medieval Europe to meat mongers in Chinese markets,
someone is
always blamed… stigmatization follows closely on the heels of every
pathogen.”
The
result is a
wide-ranging history that should appeal to a broad audience, from
students of
social issues and healthcare to those involved in political science
studies and
the process of developing disease protections.
Heavily
footnoted, peppered with authoritative source material references, and
strong
in photos, charts and graphs, Taming Infection is
highly recommended for
library collections strong in medical history, social examination, and
political science and public policy alike.
Return to Index
Who Should
We Let
Die?
Koye Oyerinde
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-262-5
$18.99
www.atmospherepress.com
"Let’s look at healthcare
funding in the US. I call
it the
GoFundMe healthcare system, a system in which ill people and their
relatives
have to subject themselves to the humiliation of online panhandling to
pay
medical bills...It is unacceptable in the world’s most prosperous
country."
Who Should We Let Die? How
Health For All Failed,
and How Not to Fail
Again is a hard-hitting examination of the healthcare
system's biggest
ethical and health issue. It comes from a physician who states that the
current
state of affairs in the U.S. holds only a façade of equality. In fact,
it
represents a treatment system dominated by profit-orientated healthcare
insurers, hospital corporations, medical device companies, and
pharmaceutical
corporations that don't work in the interests of their patients, but in
the
interest of profit. In this milieu, patient best practices and
treatment do not
assume top priority on the list of managing healthcare costs and
deciding who
will get treatment, and how much.
It's not
like these
allegations represent new or revolutionary thinking. What sets Dr. Koye
Oyerinde's discussion apart from others is its dual attention to making
the
headline an ethical question of which patients are receiving lesser
standards
of care, and how to transition such a system to a patient-centric one.
When
equal health services are not available to all, the question becomes
one of who
should be allowed to die through unavailability of treatments or
third-party
assessments of their financial or social status.
As abhorrent
as this
thought might be to any healthcare provider, Dr. Oyerinde accurately
condemns
the modern state of affairs in the U.S.
His survey,
however,
is designed to do more than point an accusatory finger at the results
of a
broken system. It tackles the bigger question of what to do about it.
And
herein lays the real value of this book over other exposés
on the subject.
Yes, this is
a
promotion for universal health care for all. But within this guiding
light is
the critical probe of a physician who is also a health policy expert,
with some
thirty years of practical experience backing his contentions. These
include
stints as a medical officer, pediatrician, health policy researcher,
and
teacher.
From his
insights on
health care in other countries and how they succeed or fail to the
laser beam
of his examination of this nation's overt and subconscious policies,
Dr.
Oyerinde considers the types of changes that need to take place in
order to
assure this system works: "If we
must provide healthcare services to all, we have to abolish
out-of-pocket
expenditure at the point of need. My apologies are due to Chief
Awolowo, who
coined the free health care slogan to garner support from his Western
Nigerian
constituents. There is no such thing. One way or the other, the society
must
pay for its healthcare services. It could be inefficiently by charging
sick
people and their loved ones or more efficiently by pooling funds to pay
for
those who need care."
His analysis
is
packed with case studies, references to other approaches, and contrasts
with
other governments that earmark funding for healthcare programs.
By placing
the issue
of healthcare for all in the moral and ethical framework of who should
be
allowed to die because the current structure doesn't work equally for
all, Dr.
Oyerinde makes important points. He also considers some of the
fundamental
reasons why this is allowed to happen: "One
of the challenges to surveillance of quality in health services is the
weakness
of measuring tools."
From the
quantitative
approaches to measuring and determining healthcare delivery efficiency
to
issues of who is assessing results, the failure of transparency in the
current
system is documented at many different levels, as are the solutions Dr.
Oyerinde recommends to help heal the sick system.
Who should be
allowed to die for lack of
funding? Nobody. That's not only the point of this book, but the
starting place
for a discussion which leads the way to a solution.
Yes, Who Should We Let
Die? should be in
health and social issues library collections, but it shouldn't be
allowed to
repose on bookshelves. Ideally, it will be used as a foundation for
discussion
at all levels of the healthcare profession and any entity with a vested
interest in positive change.
Return to Index
Write
a Must-Read
AJ Harper
Page Two
978-1989603697
$27.00 Hardcover/$8.99 Kindle
www.ajharper.com
Write
a Must-Read:
Craft a Book That Changes Lives―Including
Your Own is a study in nonfiction
writing that differs from the usual "how to write a book" title. It
focuses on producing works that "places the reader first" in a manner
that doesn't just invite readers to partake, but compels it.
Its
one thing to
write and publish a book, but it's quite another to produce a
reader-centric
message that resonates and promises not just attraction, but
transformation.
AJ
Harper wrote
books designed to help and inspire others, and this how-to guide is no
exception.
She tackles many of the reasons why books languish both in sales and in
interest: "Click on the listings for many Amazon category
bestsellers
and you’ll see a lot of “abandoned” books—books that people wrote and
published
quickly and then left up for proof that they wrote it. How can you
tell? Look
at the reviews. Has it been a year or more since someone left one? That
means
the author likely isn’t promoting it, or not much. Look at the sales
rank. Is
the book ranked at one million or higher? That means it sells a handful
of
copies a year. How did this
happen? How did we get to this place
where the main goal is speed, not quality? Where the focus is on the
perks of
being an author, not authorship?"
By
asking the
hard questions about what makes a book long-lived, Harper encourages
would-be
and existing authors to consider their audience and how they define,
attract,
and perceive their readers.
A
chatty
combination of humor and practical inspection accents the advice,
making it
both accessible and hard-hitting: "Nonfiction is an entirely
different
animal. I always outline (plot) before I write. Why? Because I have a
different
goal. With fiction, I am focused on honoring the characters and the
story. With
nonfiction, specifically personal and professional development books,
the aim
is transformation. My singular goal is to help the reader change their
life,
and so pantsing it is not an option. When I put on my ghostwriter or
developmental editor hat, I move firmly into the plotter camp. Although
that’s
a fiction term. What could we call ourselves, nonfiction writers who
outline?
Outliners is too obvious. Smarties? Ha. Maybe not. You let me know if
you come
up with something." By doing so, Harper illustrates the very
techniques she is promoting to connect with readers.
From
developing
and inserting Core Messages at appropriate points to identifying and
finding a
book's Ideal Readers, the routines and choices of publishing and
promoting a
book are accompanied by insights on why each can fail, and how to avoid
common
pitfalls of publication.
The
candid
revelations about the work involved in not just writing, but seeing a
book to
publication and matching it with its intended audience are delivered in
admonitions that explain how the book industry really works, exploring
the
author's role in augmenting publication with self-promotion efforts: "Let’s
get one thing straight: Marketing your book is your responsibility. If
you
think signing with a traditional publisher means you can sit back and
write and
they’ll take care of finding your readers, someone gave you bad
information.
What they will do is push that trade distribution sales engine behind
the
scenes so your book is more likely to end up on shelves, but getting
readers
excited to buy your book is all you."
The
result is
exceptional, highly recommended not just for the wide-ranging practical
information it contains, but for the author-centric realities and
realizations
it promotes.
Write
a Must-Read stands out from the
crowd and is about more than
writing, publishing,
and promoting. Ultimately, it's about syncing transformation and
mindsets to
that of a book's potential audience to fulfill a book's potential as
well as an
author's dreams.
It
deserves a
place in any library or individual collection strong in writer's
guides, as a
standout approach to nonfiction writing success.
Return to Index
Building
Our Main Street
Kristian James
AM Ink Publishing
978-1-943201-77-8
$21.99 Hardcover/$14.99 Paper/$9.99 Kindle
www.AMInkPublishing.com
Building
Our Main
Street gives picture book readers a different survey of
death, stating that
a beloved grandmother is now taking a trip "down her Main Street," a
place identified here as "...a place all older adults go when their
time
on this earth has come to an end."
By
connecting the experience
of loss to a familiar place
that the young listener in the story associates with good times,
Kristian James
encourages a positive perspective in a discussion between mother and
daughter
which is very different than the usual discourse.
“Everyone
has their
own Main Street, my dear. It is a long stretch of road with beautiful
bright
colored buildings and filled with that person’s favorite memories. It’s
a place
of happiness and fun!”
As
mother and daughter take
their own stroll down their
absent grandmother's possible Main Street experiences, the very young
receive
lessons on not just life and death, but aging, family connections, and
good
memories of shared events.
Nicole's
mother tells
stories that recall the
grandmother's life and passions and loves, bringing her back to life in
the
eyes of her grieving granddaughter.
Lovely
illustrations by
Matea Anic enhance a story filled
with fond memories and the notion that death is not a dead end, but an
opportunity to recall the good times and reconnect in different ways.
Within
the tale are
important lessons on how to live life
more effectively: "...everyone has
bad times in their lives that can change who they are or how they act,
and it
is important to talk about them, like we do so it doesn’t dim your
smile and
charm. As for Main Street, there is nothing but happy memories there.”
Adults
seeking a different
tone—one that embraces the
notion of sharing good times and grief alike—will find that Building Our Main Street offers not just
a different take, but a lesson in positivity as a mother and daughter
cope,
cry, and recall the good times together.
Return to Index
Child
of
Etherclaw
Matty Roberts
Twilight Fox LLC
9780578394169
$18.95
Hardcover/$9.95 Paper/$2.99 Kindle
www.twilightfoxpress.com
Book
1 of the
teen dystopian sci-fi series Child of Etherclaw
sets the stage for a
powerful saga of closely-held family secrets, a quest, and a struggle
for control
as sixteen-year-old Fenlee and her adopted brother Elliot attempt to
decipher
the mysteries of her necklace and its link to events in Fenlee’s past.
Between
her
studies at school and scavenging operations under the city of New Cascadia, you would think the
protagonist more than has her hands full. But when the necklace begins
to
present a new power that commands attention and investigation, Fenlee
steps up
to discover that the foundations of everything she had taken for
granted are,
indeed, something magically different.
From
changing
priorities and the efforts of a dangerous adversary to beat her to the
truth to
adopted siblings whose pasts and memories may thwart their desire for a
better
life, Matty Roberts
takes the time to explore trauma, ideals, family perceptions and
interactions,
and the social conundrums which evolve from them.
The
etherclaw is
within grasp, residing in one who would wield its power with emotions
as yet
not fully formed. Can Elliot release the etherclaw and fully realize
and harness
its powers, and do those who attempt to influence him fully comprehend
the
force they are about to unleash?
Fenlee's
inheritance turns out to be far more dangerous than she'd expected.
Roberts
creates
a multifaceted story with a host of characters that operate and
interact on
different levels. Roberts' ability to focus on psychological
developments and
flash points between the main characters and their changing world and
places in
it makes for a story filled with action and insights on more than one
level.
The result is a powerful saga that explores family bonds,
responsibility, and
the special allure of capturing, holding onto, and living a different
kind of
life.
Its
study in
adaptation and revised purposes will attract and hold young reader
attention as
it progresses towards a conclusion replete in facing fears and
overcoming not
just adversity, but personal notions of what constitutes a life worth
living.
These
elements
make Child of Etherclaw a vivid young adult story
that library
collections will find appealing.
Return to Index
Discovery
of the Five Senses
K.N. Smith
Two Petals Publishing
9780989474757
$12.95
Paper/$2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Urban-Boys-Discovery-Five-Senses/dp/0989474755
What
do you get when you
combine sci-fi, mystery, and
suspense in a story for teens? You receive a compelling adventure that
is hard
to put down, inviting young adults to partake of a high-octane drama.
The
story opens at midnight,
where Ross Dawson is
confronting his friend Joaquin, maintaining that he is "not the
same." A search for youthful adventure brought them to these woods and
this dark place, but a quest for power is dividing them.
A
forbidden preserve is the
focal point for conflict and
change as the group of friends test their newfound sensory powers and
explore
new relationships with themselves and each other.
K.N.
Smith evolves the story
on different levels that
include the psychological changes and interactions of friends who are
coming
into special abilities and the different choices they portend, and the
new
issues these gifts bring to their families and futures: "...by
the skin of his teeth, Rhee had escaped his mother’s wrath.
He lay in bed, shaken, traumatized by the attempt on his life. He
realized a
new dimension of urgency, and that he was coveted for his gift so
desperately
sought by the evil Druth."
Smith's
story not only
tackles the evil outside, but the
inner uncertainty and explorations of boys who stand on the cusp of
making
adult decisions.
A
quote by
Jackie Robinson presented within the story perfectly captures its
theme: 'A
life is not important except in the impact it has on other lives.’
Smith's
ability
to capture this impact and consider the options and choices these
characters
make as they mature and face various demons lends to an attractive read.
Its
ability to
present as an adventure story of extraordinary abilities but then move
young
adults into more thought-provoking scenarios of growth and revelation
makes Discovery
of the Five Senses an especially recommended pick for
libraries seeking the
draw of action coupled with the attraction of experiences that
introduce new
growth to each of its young characters.
Return to Index
The
Elegant Emu
Karen M. Bobos
Bobos Babes, Ltd.
979-8-9859822-1-3
$17.99 Hardcover/$11.99 Paper/$2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Elegant-Emu-Adventures-Harmony/dp/B09X4WDN42
The
Elegant Emu
is a picture book story adding to the Adventures in Harmony series,
presenting
another magical adventure with the Bobos Babes.
Here,
the Babes have been
deemed unmannerly and assigned
to attend elegant Elizabeth the
Emu's etiquette class to learn about proper behavior and public
appearance.
But
Elizabeth has
more lessons to impart than manners alone. At the head of the list is
kindness
and how to best reflect it into the world.
As Angel
Scarlet,
Princess Daphne, and Fairy Cora learn about personal hygiene and public
appearances, a rollicking rhyme captures their snafus, lessons, and the
broader
appeal of adopting a different attitude about their role in life, their
appearance, and their actions.
Once
again, Karen M. Bobos has successfully
created a
story of spunky, sassy princess babes who aren't too rich, beautiful,
or
knowledgeable to absorb more information about the world and their
impact on
it.
The
wise Emu imparts many
lessons. The Babes realize this
schooling could take a while. Thankfully for young readers, the
whimsical, fun
adventure spins a fine yarn deserving of not one, but numerous nights
of
reading.
Ideally,
The
Elegant Emu will serve as both an entertaining foray into a
fantasy world
and an educational point for read-aloud parents who can use its lessons
to
discuss positive worldviews with the very young.
The
story's not just about
proper manners. It's
ultimately about love.
Return to Index
Gabe’s
Christmas
Wish
Katrina Doucet
Independently Published
ASIN: B09TJMVB4G
$4.72
Kindle/$7.84 print
Website: www.katrinasstoryhub.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09TJMVB4G
Gabe’s
Christmas
Wish may sound like a story of
holiday celebrations, but young readers and
read-aloud parents who choose this picture book will find it's also a
study in
grief, giving, and holiday sadness that teaches kids about loss and
healing.
Natasha
Pelley-Smith
provides exceptionally
brilliantly-colored illustrations that capture the eye, while Katrina
Doucet's
story of a child's loss of his parents tugs at the heartstrings.
It's
Christmas—the first of
many that Gabe will
experience without his beloved parents.
He
now lives in a warm home
with his grandparents, but
much is different and missing from his life.
When
a young reindeer
appears outside his window,
everything changes yet again.
Doucet
provides a warm story
replete in love and stunning
imagery that compliments the visuals ("The
reindeer shook off the angry snowfall that clutched his fur.").
As
the story unfolds to
reveal a heartfelt wish that
seems impossible, read-aloud adults receive many opportunities to
interact with
young picture book listeners about grief and healing processes.
Fantasy,
festivity, and
revelations mingle with these
elements to provide a powerful representation of the holiday spirit and
the
process of experiencing a holiday without loved ones.
While
Gabe’s
Christmas Wish takes place during
the holidays (which would seem to limit it to the
attention of Christmas book readers) its important message and magical,
evocative adventure hold attraction year-round. It should be prominent
in any
children's collection where grief and healing are subjects of interest.
Return to Index
Hilda
and Richie's Wizard
Max West
Different Mousetrap Press LLC
9780989069649
$2.99
Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Hilda-Richies-Wizard-Max-West-ebook/dp/B09XD456FB
Hilda
and Richie's
Wizard is a fun picture book story of two foxes who find
themselves in a
tailspin when the gift of a family relic is lost in the river.
Hilda
trusted little Richie
to take care of the pendant,
but his brand of "fun is too much for the pendant" and its chain
breaks in the midst of his active young life.
Hilda
will certainly be
angry with him. That's when
Mister Abra steps forth to offer a bit of magic to resolve his dilemma.
The
savvy, quick wizard can solve Richie's problem...but not without a cost.
Max
West incorporates a
valuable lesson about honesty and
owning up to mistakes as Richie assesses his relationship with Hilda
and
whether it can withstand the truth.
Simple
yet inviting color
illustrations add interest to
the tale, which poses the dilemma of how difficult it can be to be
honest.
Does
Richie dare to risk a
wizard's wrath by forgetting
his obligation?
A
fine story evolves,
holding a message that read-aloud
parents will find important and realistic.
Return to Index
The
Indigo
Heather Siegel
Stone Tiger Books LLC
979-8985824025
$9.95
Paper/$2.99 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/INDIGO-Heather-Siegel/dp/B0B14PY1N6
Young
adult fantasy readers
who look for stories that
incorporate metaphysical, fantasy, and real-life dilemmas will find The Indigo an attractive choice that
promises a satisfying mix of all these elements and more.
Sixteen-year-old
Jett never
expected to be a decision-maker
about her mother's death or the fate of her soul, but when her mother
is placed
on life support, Jett finds herself in the unusual position of
embarking on a
journey to elsewhere to find where her mother has gone and return her
to her
body before the plug is pulled.
Jett
once visited the place
she thinks that soul now
resides, but only her friend Farold,
an amateur quantum physicist, believes in this possibility. His attempt
to help
Jett return to that milieu to find her mother and bring her back places
him in
a similar position of making hard decisions.
Heather
Siegel creates a
compelling story of astral
projection and travel, grief, proactive measures to save loved ones,
and a
girl's conviction that she is doing the right thing against all odds.
The
story features
exceptionally strong characterization
and threads of discovery and revelation that are solidly centered on
first-person descriptions and experiences: "I
want to believe that, but the chance that Mom’s cord is still at the
corner of
Beach and Main all these years later . . . the chance that we make it
somehow
through the portal there to find it . . . the chance that we pull this
off
before Cape Memorial Hospital shuts Mom’s body down . . . suddenly
seems so
impossible that I feel stuck in place, paralyzed with fear."
The
timeline to her choices
also presents conflicts as
Jett struggles with reality, fantasy, and the nature of a death that is
not
quite complete: "And for some weird
reason, a Jack London story comes to mind — one I’d tagged as “a
library pick.”
It’s about a man who goes for a long walk in the Arctic cold against
all
warnings. He realizes his mistake too late, gets frostbite — and tries
everything to get out of the situation, but fails. But it was the way
he passed
on that stayed with me. How he sat and quietly froze to death, knowing
he had
been defeated. It was the way he accepted it. I don’t know if I can
accept it."
Readers
who initially choose
The Indigo for its fantasy or
metaphysical elements may be
surprised to find that its psychological explorations are just as
astute and
attractive.
As
the story unfolds, it
turns out that its strength lies
equally in its ability to traverse guilt, rescue efforts, loss, and
changing
connections between friends and family during this process.
Siegel
creates a story that
supplements its thriller
components with this satisfying overlay of psychological depth. This
creates a
rich read highly recommended not just for YA fantasy and metaphysical
readers,
but for those who would connect to the protagonist and her special
dilemma through
an emotional draw that keeps events both fast-paced and
thought-provoking.
Return to Index
The Lost
Colors Book 1: A Caitlin & Rio Adventure
Sally Alexander
Independently
Published
979-8-9860700-0-1
$24.99 (hardcover),
$9.99 (paperback), $3.99 (Kindle)
Website: www.sallyalexander.com
Ordering: https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Colors-Adventures-Caitlin-Rio/dp/169233946X
The
Lost Colors
is Book 1 in the Caitlin and Rio adventure series for kids ages 8-12,
and tells
of a trio of friends faced with the challenge of discovering who has
stolen color
from the world.
Caitlin's
Ragdoll cat Rio
has also been altered, and now
sports mysterious powers that can aid in their problem-solving attempts.
The
story opens with Rio the
cat's discovery of his new
ability to speak the human language. He awakens Caitlin, who always
knew her
cat was extraordinary, and now has proof. Unfortunately, her cat's
newfound
ability came from a mysterious silver light that sucked all the color
from her
world as well as making him a magical talking cat.
As
Caitlin and Rio pursue
the truth and a remedy to
losing the world's color, young readers embark on an adventure packed
with
intrigue, colorful conundrums, and the efforts of friends who attempt
to solve
the mystery and return color to their lives.
Clever
Rio spearheads the
effort with a savvy feline
sense of discovery to make the plot even more intriguing.
Sally
Alexander does a fine
job of capturing the mystery
as well as the fun interactions between friends and felines on a
mission.
Is
Professor Pinch in with
the bad guys? Can they solve
problems that adults cannot?
Advanced
elementary to
middle grade libraries seeking
engaging, whimsical mystery adventures to attract kids to the written
word will
find all these elements and more in The
Lost Colors, which injects a dose of humor into the mix for
added value and
fun.
It's
highly recommended for
its unexpected twists and
turns, the dual profile of a Ragdoll cat who becomes even more
extraordinary,
and the young owner who loves him whether he can talk or not.
Return to Index
Maya’s
Treasure
Laurie Smollett Kutscera
Peter Pauper Press
9781441337627
$16.99
https://www.amazon.com/Mayas-Treasure-Laurie-Smollett-Kutscera/dp/1441337628
Maya's
Treasure
is a lovely picture book written and illustrated by Laurie Smollett
Kutscera,
who brings to life the warm relationship between a wise grandmother and
sisters
who gather seashells to make jewelry to sell.
Their
grandmother taught
them the family tradition of
making shell jewelry, but she also taught Maya something special: about
finding
the value in broken and cast-off shells.
Her
grandmother advised Maya
that her task was to
"find the magic" in these disparate pieces. And so Maya invents
something different with the cast-aways that not only honors the memory
of her
grandmother, but becomes an unexpected salvation to the town.
Kutscera's
warm story
embraces many themes, from family
wisdom and passed-down relationships to finding the magic in ordinary
things.
Parents
who choose Maya's
Treasure for read-aloud will find its important messages
about
transformative thinking and its full-color pastel illustrations equally
compelling, while libraries will find it a rich lesson in wonder.
Return to Index
Mickey
on the Move Farming
Michelle Wagner
Mascot Books
978-1-63755-242-1
$16.95
www.mascotbooks.com
"Lately,
“the
early bird catches the worm” seemed to be the phrase that best
described
Mickey’s eagerness when he got up every morning!"
Mickey
on the Move
Farming presents picture book readers with another adventure
experienced by
Mickey, a deaf boy whose Aqua Cochlear implants allow him to enter the
world of
the hearing.
Here,
Mickey is enjoying all
aspects of caring for chickens,
gardening, and helping his father, a Napa Valley grape grower.
Jenny
Phelps illustrates
Michelle Wagner's story with fun
drawings that capture the activities of the farm and Mickey's life.
Wagner
adds further details
about Mickey as she surveys
this world: "There were some
obstacles early on in Mickey’s life that he had to conquer in order to
fully
enjoy the great outdoors. Mickey doesn’t hear things the same way that
many
kids do, and he uses cochlear implants, which allow him to listen to
things he
otherwise might not be able to hear–like quiet music or birds singing."
Kids
receive details on
cochlear implants in general and
the special developments of Aqua Cochlear implants, which give Mickey
even more
freedom.
A
biography explains the
roots of Wagner's personal
involvement in her own son Mickey: "After
discovering that her son Mickey was profoundly deaf in both ears,
Michelle made
it her mission to provide Mickey with the tools to ensure that he would
live
his best life."
Adults
will ideally choose Mickey on the Move Farming
as an
information-packed survey that
juxtaposes information on hearing loss and implants with the emphasis
that
Mickey is leading his "best life" in a positive, embracing manner.
The
story provides another
lively adventure, and includes
the basics that kids need to know in order to understand the special
lives,
challenges, and opportunities of a hearing-impaired child.
Mickey
on the Move
Farming should be part of any collection strong in positivity
and
overcoming adversity with a blend of technology and attitude.
Return to Index
Night-night,
Body
Ted Scheu
Beaver's Pond Press
9781643437484
$19.95
www.BeaversPondPress.com
Night-night,
Body
represents a picture book synthesis of rich watercolor illustrations by
Pete
Gergely and a rollicking rhyme by Ted Scheu that brings to life a
journey
through body parts. All of them must fall asleep to contribute to the
total
effort.
As
each body part is
addressed, young sleepyheads receive
a gentle rhyme that encourages them to relax their own body parts to
achieve
the goal of sleep: "Night-night,
muscles/in my shoulders/round and proud as mountain boulders."
Parents
looking for a
bedtime read that combines lovely
drawings with admonitions that can be used to help kids both learn
anatomy and
pay attention to their process of relaxation will find Night-night,
Body the perfect item of choice for encouraging
snoozing.
A
sense of whimsical
inspection accompanies many of these
admonitions: "Night-night, mouth./Please
close your doors./And tell your tongue, no growls or roars."
The
result does more than
invite kids to sleep. It
educates them about relaxation skills in a manner parents will find
delightfully interactive, and is highly recommended as a read-aloud for
youngsters who resist the idea of bedtime.
Return to Index
The
Portly Lady
Theresa Nellis
Atmosphere Press
978-1-63988-330-1
$12.99
www.atmospherepress.com
Book
Two of the young adult
fantasy series Keeper of the Mirror,
The Portly Lady, requires little
prior familiarity with the first book in the series, as Theresa Nellis
opens
the story with a prologue explaining the elven world of Duendere and
the
history and influences leading up to the first chapter.
The
Portly Lady (Claudia)
comes to life from the opening
lines of the story, painting main character Peter's grandmother in a
questionable light as it is revealed that she is a dark elf whose
powers and
concerns are anything but staid.
This
inheritance has rubbed
off on Peter, who takes a dim
view of the cackling old woman who often seems lost in a haze of
memories and
regrets: "He always thought his
grandmother to be a whacked-out old bat and that she’d do well to
partner with
the Nosy Neighbor."
Family
strengths, angst, and
an uncertain legacy permeate
Peter's life from the start of his story as he grapples with the truth
about
his estranged father, his past, and his own jealousy and anger. He's
always
viewed his parents as "his lot in life." This inheritance is about to
become much more as he comes to realize that acceptance and strength
don't
necessarily go hand in hand, especially for a new dark elf coming into
his
powers.
Theresa
Nellis includes all
the trappings of a gripping
fantasy: a son at odds over his family connections, a missing father; a
world
on the cusp of change; and a mysterious legacy that involves a
banishment, a
dangerous truth, and a hidden drive for revenge.
Her
young protagonist
doesn't operate on the side of
good, but stands as firmly in the middle of a maelstrom of magical
issues and
influences as he straddles the fine line between good and evil.
Not
necessarily a flawed
character, Peter is struggling with
what has been handed to him—a series of mistruths and misconceptions
about the
world and his place in it, which charges him to determine what role he
will
play in its future.
Unlike
most protagonists,
this young man is determined to
make his mark on those who have warped his life: "...he
had to be careful. For even worse than that, they probably
wanted to harness his power for themselves. They had probably been
doing it all
along, and he was clueless about it. Yes, they would pay dearly for
ever daring
to cross the likes of him." This makes his coming of age
especially
uncertain and understandable as readers who face their own troubled
family
secrets and situations absorb Peter's influences and the wellsprings of
his
angst.
Nellis
makes Peter's
self-absorbed perspective come to
life without the usual altruistic focus that young adult fantasy too
often
harbors. This imparts a more realistic feel to her characters, who
don't always
choose the path of righteousness and good behavior in response to
adversity.
The
result is a powerful
story that centers on Peter, but
includes Zack, Sully, and a host of other characters' decisions and
special
challenges.
Young
adults will find The Portly Lady an
attractive,
multifaceted fantasy that includes
many observations about character, choice, and family interactions: “You must understand, nothing was ever
normal with Peter. He fought us
at every turn. If something was blue, he’d say it’s green. If it was
up, he’d
say it’s down. It didn’t matter the topic; he just liked to argue. It
was his
way of entertaining himself.
Libraries
seeking young
adult fantasies that go the extra
mile to create realistic characters will find The
Portly Lady steps away from formula genre writing for a sense
of something satisfyingly different.
Return to Index
The
Toki-Girl and the
Sparrow-Boy: The Oni's Shamisen
Claire Youmans
American I
978-1-7339020-7-6
$24.99
Paper/$6.49 Kindle
https://www.amazon.com/Toki-Girl-Sparrow-Boy-Book-Onis-Shamisen/dp/1733902074
The
Oni's Shamisen
is the ninth book in the Toki-Girl and the Sparrow-Boy series for young
adults
interested in Asian historical fiction and fantasy alike, and continues
the
saga set in early Japan.
It's
1877, and Toki-Girl Azuki is
experiencing newfound freedom and success
as her fabric patterns
expand and attract new business.
When the
Oni,
Kukanko, calls upon Azuki and her brother, Sparrow-Boy Shota, for help,
they
are again drawn into political conflict that tests not only their lives
and
mettle, but the forces working to change Japan forever.
Readers need
not have
prior familiarity with either the books in this series of Japan's Meiji
Era of
history, although both will lend a fuller flavor and understanding to
the
events that transpire in Book 9, which weave through both to expand
Azuki and
Shota's lives and futures.
The magical
realism
which weaves through the story feels like more a part of Japanese
reality and
daily life than an oddity, blended so seamlessly into evolving
conflicts and
affairs that one could easily come to believe in its actual presence in
and
influence on Japanese history.
From
family
relationships and the process of giving birth to new generations, to
dragons
who love and live alongside humans and harbor their own special
interests, Claire Youmans crafts a lovely
intersection
between history and fantasy that will draw readers in all age groups,
from
middle school well into adulthood.
The
tension is well
developed, yet time is taken to
explore and describe the physical and political environments of Japan
that form
the foundations of not just Azuki
and Shota's lives, but a host of other characters whose interests and
purposes
flesh out the story.
Black and
white art
from collections around the world add visual embellishment to bring to
life
this latest incarnation of Toki-Girl and Sparrow-Boy's world, while
prose
captures the milieu in equally vivid ways: "Among
Western dragons, he knew was considered good-looking, with his deep
earthen
browns studded with the tones of the minerals in his lands, mostly
black and yellow,
though there were others here and there. He gave that little credence,
because
he was a prince and a powerful one. Those attributes might improve
anybody’s
looks. His muzzle was pointed and his upper fangs slightly overlapped
his lower
lip. When he opened his mouth, it was possible to glimpse the fire
within,
which he could direct in anything from a focused jet to a wide blast or
use to
emit a finger or a pillar or a cloud of smoke."
While
younger readers
will be attracted by vivid scenes involving Dragon Kings and conflicts,
to call
this book (and the series) a children's read would be to do it a grave
injustice. It's replete with social and political observation, as well
as
history, which adults also will find equally compelling: "Most
of the girls and women who come through here are relatively
easily dealt with. They can return to their families, many of them. The
tondenhei program has been a
miraculous gift, giving these women new goals and patriotic
aspirations.”
Sachiko made a moué of distaste. On the one hand she appreciated the
program’s
opportunity for her women. On the other, she hated the political
cynicism that
made such manipulative use of citizens."
Whether
you deem it a story
of magical realism or a
Japanese social and political history, The
Oni's Shamisen defies pat categorization. It represents a
powerful,
multifaceted read highly recommended for any collection with fiction
steeped in
Japanese culture and magical realism alike.
Return to Index
Woodlands
and Wormholes
Loralee Evans
Independently Published
978-1-7923-9014-2
$14.95 Hardcover/$12.95 Paper/$/.99 Kindle
www.loraleeevans.com
Woodlands
and
Wormholes is the fifth book in the Raccoons and Rabbit Holes
series for
advanced elementary to middle grade readers, and presents another Jax
and Julie
time-travel adventure.
With
four prior experiences
under their belts, you would
think they'd be seasoned travelers, by now. But this latest encounter
stymies
even their experience and gives readers a delightful twist on the
time-travel
theme as the dynamic duo encounter scheming raccoon plots and a dilemma
requiring them to, once again, come to the rescue.
Loralee
Evans provides a
delightful story that is filled
with action and the unexpected as the friends navigate unfamiliar
territory
with the help of grown-up versions of Will Taylor, Amy Yellow Horse,
and a host
of others who become involved in the fray.
From
an encounter with
Harriet Tubman before she became
famous to nearly-forgotten adventures of the past and windows into
other
worlds, Evans populates her story with a powerful sense of the
unexpected as a
series of escapades entwine the lives of four friends who operate on
different
levels of ability and insight.
When
they confront parents
who face the unexpected return
of Doctor Abigail Benson (who
disappeared in the early 40s without a trace) without question, they
know
something has gone terribly wrong.
Evans
builds the characters
in a manner that will appeal
both to newcomers and prior series fans. She incorporates just enough
background to attract the former without filling introductory pages
with too
much familiar information for readers of the prior books.
As
in its predecessors, the
adventure is fine-tuned with
just enough intrigue, drama, and dashes of humor to keep kids reading
and
involved. Evans is particularly well versed in incorporating
unpredictability
and satisfying twists and turns throughout the adventure. These keep
the
characters and their readers guessing about the outcome of these
encounters and
experiences.
The
result is a time travel
story that blends history,
psychological insights, and interpersonal interactions on a level
designed to
capture and hold reader attention to the end.
Woodlands and Wormholes should be a part of any elementary-level collection where time-travel stories are of young patron interest, whether or not it is accompanied by the past books in the series.
Woodlands and WormholesReturn to Index